By Ike Uchechukwu

NFAMOSING-  THE  people of Nfamosing community,    Akamkpa Local Government Area, Cross River State,  have decried alleged marginalization and neglect by the former United Cement Company of Nigeria (UNICEM), now Lafarge Holcim, and other companies operating in the area.

Paramount ruler of Akamkpa and clan head of Ojuk South clan, HRM Ntufam Emayibo, told Niger Delta Voice, that Holcim and other firms have reneged  on their Corporate Social Responsibility, to the community  including employment and provision of social amenities.

Ntufam Emayip said the community had attempted to call Holcim and other companies to a round table discussion with a view to resolving the vexed issues, but it had proved abortive. He explained that chemical substances emitting from the production of cement have polluted the community’s  stream, while economic trees and other farm crops no longer yield good harvest.

The monarch urged the state government to intervene in the matter before it gets out of hand, as his people have been waiting patiently.

Govt inundated with complaints

Special Assistant to the Governor on Petroleum and Local Content Implementation, Mr. Imoh Anthony, who spoke when he visited the community on a fact-finding mission, assured that the state government would look into the matter.

His words: “The state government has received several complaints about the negligence of the community by UNICEM. The governor is a man who has passion for the people of Cross River and he has mandated us to come here today for fact- finding on what is happening between UNICEM and its host community.”

He also said: “This visit was to get firsthand information on the operations of Lafarge Holcim and other companies operating in the area, especially as it concerns the employment of natives of the community and other Cross- Riverians.

“If it is true that Holcim is doing employment without engaging the youths of this community or Cross Riverians, we will report back to His Excellency, Prof Ben Ayade. I assure you that His Excellency will leave no stone unturned in ensuring that he arranges a meeting between you and the companies operating here in your domain.”

He urged the cement company to take into consideration the welfare of the host community, especially in the area of employment of the people, provision of infrastructures and award of scholarships.

Employment a privilege, not a right

Contacted, the Head of Public Affairs, Lafarge Holcim, Mr. Ayi Ayi, told Niger Delta Voice,    said that employment was a privilege and not a right explaining that If they have employment issues, it would be handled amicably “Firstly, there is no society where you can employ everybody. We have several programmes we are driving for the communities, to develop capacities and also give opportunities so that in the future they can be directly involved.

“When we started in 2009, we realized that we needed to have an ample presence of the communities at certain levels so that they can grow. We had to open 30 engineering positions, in the former UNICEM (now Lafarge), the total staff strength then was only 114, but we ensured that 25-30 percent of people from the communities were employed so that we could help indigenous engineers understudy and grow,” Ayi said.

He claimed that oil companies have employed some indigenes of the community due to the training and scholarship programmes from the firm.