Eleme Council Chairman Flays NNPCL, PHRC For Neglecting Youths, Host Communities

The Chairman of Eleme Local Government, Brain Gokpa, has berated the managements of the Port Harcourt Refining Company Limited, PHRC, and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPCL, for neglecting their host communities and youths their employment programmes.
Gokpa, who hosted a meeting of the Joint Community Relations Committee, JCRC, of PHRC and representatives of Alesa and Alode communities at the council’s chambers at Ogale on Friday, said his administration would said companies’ neglect of the communities was unjust and deliberate to deny the people their legitimate opportunities in the companies.
The council chairman vowed to use his offices to break the barriers hindering the communities’ progress and youth development.
The meeting which was attended by Community leaders, critical stakeholders and security agencies, was called to address the gross negligence and abandonment of host communities by the JCRC in the Port Harcourt refinery in their employment programme.
During the meeting, stakeholders expressed concerns over the lack of representation, employment issues, and poor communication.
They accused JCRC of misrepresenting the community and failing to provide vital information to the communities about employment and other opportunities in the refinery.
They also criticized NNPCL and PHRC’s employment practices for prioritizing outsiders over local youths, which they said grossly violated the Local Content Act. They therefore passed a vote of no confidence on the JCRC.
The council Chairman had earlier in the month warned that he would not accept companies operating in Eleme to exploit the communities and deny them of their due in employment and corporate social responsibilities.
He issued the warning during a meeting with members of the PHRC JCRC) in hisd office led by its Chairman, Tony Obari.
Gokpa expressed disappointment with JCRC’s lack of diligence, citing lost employment opportunities due to their inaction. He urged the committee to be more proactive and accountable, ensuring the community receives its rightful benefits.
He lampooned the council’s representative on the JCRC, Marcus Tetenwi, for failing to provide updates on the company’s activities. He emphasized that his administration would prioritize the community’s interests and ensure they receive fair treatment.
Obari, the JCRC Chairman had said the committee had its challenges pledged to work towards resolving issues through stronger agreements, comprehensive memoranda of understanding, and enhanced corporate social responsibilities.