282 indigenous contractors marginalized by EXXONMOBIL

It has been revealed that over 200 indigenous  contractors registered with Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited, a subsidiary of ExxonMobil has for the past two years not been awarded contracts despite being stakeholders in the company.

Speaking to Newsmen in Ibeno on Wednesday, during Nigeria’s 54th Independence Anniversary, the Joint Chairman of Mobil Core Community Contractors Forum, Chief Friday Ebong said the company has for the past few years neglected and marginalized local contractors in the award of contracts despite frantic efforts done to reverse the ugly trend.

Chief Ebong who is the Obong Mkparawa I of Ibeno averred that Mobil Producing Nigeria does not abide to the spirit of the Local Content Policy which stipulates that indigenous contractors should be patronized for microeconomic downstream benefits.

“A total of 282 contractors from Ibeno, Eket, Onna, Esit Eket and other part of Akwa Ibom State registered with Mobil are not awarded meaningful contracts while foreign contractors are given jobs in dollars”, Chief Ebong said, pointing out that it was absolutely wrong for the company to marginalized indigenous contractors.

He called on management of the company to make use of the list of indigenous contractors submitted to it by his forum, adding that leaders of the forum had a meeting with top management staff of the company in Lagos Penultimate week and QIT base of the company were requested to address the situation but nothing has been done till date.

“Our contractors are competent to handle all sorts of jobs but we are suffering in our own land even in the midst of plenty while foreign contractors and people from other States are given juicy contracts”, Ebong said.

When contracted, Mr. Akaninyene Esire, Manager Public Affairs of Mobil denied any marginalization of “Local” contractors by the company.
He said the company is very transparent in its award of contracts to all categories of contractors.