By VALERIE OYIBO-ITIE

Residents of Okirighre Community in Sapele Local Government Area on Friday protested poor working conditions of their indigenes working with Seplat Energy Limited, Sapele.

Youths and women of the community stormed the company’s premises at Shell Road, Sapele, carrying different placards reading: “Seplat Should Stop Marginalizing Our Indigenes”, “Seplat Should Stop Discrimination Against Our Indigenes”, and “Seplat Should Staff Our Indigenes”, and others.

A spokesperson for the community, Mr. Johnson Ugberaja, explained that the placards said it all, adding that as a community, they were not happy with the way Seplat Energy had relegated their indigenes to second class and third class persons in their work force.

Ugberaja stated that indigenes from their community were considered only fit to work as junior staff, whereas there were qualified persons that could be employed into management positions, but the company would never accede to such employment.

He said that the trend needed to stop and that the indigenes employed as junior staff should enjoy the benefit of promotion instead of stagnating them in one position for years.

The spokesperson equally pointed out that several letters had been written and sent to the management of Seplat Energy on the issue with no response hence the need for the peaceful protest.

On the side of Seplat Energy, the base manager could not be reached, though a staff that pleaded anonymity explained that indigenes of Okirighwre Community working with Seplat were mainly junior staff and it was hard for them to grow to management staff.

Activities of the company at the base office at Shell Road Sapele were disrupted during the period of the protest until assurance came that the complaints of the protesters would be looked into. (Delta State News Bulletin)