By Simon Adewale

Nigerian Welders and Fitters Union NIWELFU has kicked against the management of Sterling Global Oil Resources Limited, Mgbala Agwa, Oguta Local Government Area, Imo State for allegedly employing foreigners to do the company’s welding and fitting jobs.

According to the group, “we have professionals who have demonstrated exceptional capacity with internationally acclaimed expertise in welding, fitting and other related trades who can readily do these job specifications.”

In a petition, National President of NIWELFU, Chief Joseph  Inone, rising from a stakeholders meeting in Abuja, urged President Muhammadu Buhari to urgently direct  the Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chief Chris Ngige; Minister of Interior,  Alhaji Abdulrahamad Dambazza; Comptroller-General of Immigration; Governor  Rochas Okoracha of Imo State; leaders of Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, in Imo State and other stake holders to prevail on the company to end the act.

Highlighting the danger and ills of bringing foreigners for jobs that can be done locally, Inone said such practices were not in tandem with the spirit and letters of the Local Content Act, “which was established to check these kinds of ill-fated and clannish attitudes targeted to rip off the national economy and our manpower potentials to the detriment of our collective well-being.”

On his part, General Secretary of NIWELFU, Comrade Sokari  Secondus, said the local content act must not be jettisoned for any flimsy excuse, maintaining that the union will fight this injustice.