Tension is brewing in the Niger Delta region over Warri Refinery and Petrochemical Company Limited’s retrenchment exercise.
There are allegations that the exercise is riddled with procedural errors, discrimination and marginalization.
The development, which is generating ripples in the region, has forced Ijaw communities to issue stern warning of possible threat to continuous piping of crude oil from Ijawland to the Warri refinery.
A group, which styled itself as Ijaw oil producing and pipeline communities in Warri, Delta State, on Tuesday threatened to cripple the piping of crude from their communities over the recent retrenchment of some of its indigenes.
The communities alleged that WRPC had singled out Ijaw people in the alleged retrenchment process riddled by procedural errors, discrimination and marginalization.
It could be recalled that WRPC had last year carried out retrenchment of some of its contract staff as part of its overhauling.
In a protest letter signed by Zikorebai Anthony, Co-ordinator, and Comrade Peter Potoki, Secretary, on behalf of Ijaw oil producing and pipeline communities in Warri and its environs and made available to newsmen on Tuesday, the Ijaw communities lamented that while other workers who were also let go same period as Ijaw people working in the firm are being recalled, Ijaw people have been discriminated and marginalized in the process.
They accused the Acting Managing Director of the Warri Refinery and Petrochemical Company Limited, Engr. Solomon Ladenegan Adewale, of carrying out a deliberate procedural error in the retrenchment and recruitment exercise, which they said is targeted to witch hunt Ijaw people in the company.
They warned that if the WRPC did not reverse itself and do the needful by also recalling Ijaw people like other workers being recalled, the firm should prepare for dire consequences of its action as crude oil being produced in Ijaw communities would be stopped from being piped to the Warri refinery.
“We wish to warn that if Ijaw people who were sacked like other neighbouring communities workers are not recalled and Ijaws employed in the ongoing recruitment of new workers, crude oil produce in Ijaw communities would no longer be allowed to be piped to the Warri Refinery,” they warned.
While cautioning Adewale not to jeopardise the relative peace in the Niger Delta region with his actions, the statement said he should be held responsible if the development snowballs into a major crisis in the region.
The statement reads: “The Ijaw oil producing and pipeline communities in Warri and its environs are calling on the management especially the Acting Managing Director of the Warri Refinery and Petrochemical Company Limited (WRPC), Mr. Adewale Solomon to stop the discrimination and marginalization of Ijaw people in respect of retrenchment and recruitment of staff and contract opportunities.
“The Ijaw communities note that people of Ijaw origin were deliberately and completely sacked in the last retrenchment and omitted in the recall of some sacked staff and new recruitment that is ongoing despite the fact that the Ijaw communities are substantial stakeholders in the affairs of the Warri Refinery.
“The Warri Refinery survives on the crude oil produce in some Ijaw communities and piped again through Ijaw communities to the Warri Refinery for its refining and other purposes. Hence, it is unfair and discriminatory for the management of Warri Refinery to subject Ijaw people to unfair treatments.
“We wish to warn that if Ijaw people who were sacked like other neighboring communities workers are not recalled and Ijaws employed in the ongoing recruitment of new workers, crude oil produce in Ijaw communities would no longer be allowed to be piped to the Warri Refinery.
“We warn the Acting Managing Director of Warri Refinery, Mr. Adewale Solomon to learn from history and allow the fragile peace in the Niger Delta region and Warri to continue.
“His discriminatory conduct towards the Ijaws is already generating tension in the region and the federal government should hold Mr. Adewale Solomon responsible for any fresh crisis in the Niger Delta region especially Warri and its environs.”
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