The Ekpan Indigenous Contractors Association in Uvwie local government area of Delta state has given 21-days ultimatum to three companies to address the lingering issue of marginalisation of Ekpan community in the execution of projects otherwise they will block the NPA expressway to stop vehicular movement until their case is resolved.
The companies are, Lee Engineering & Construction Ltd, Nest-oil Limited and JAD Construction Limited. The Ekpan contractors accused them of deliberate gang-up by a “cabal” against the community in other to continue to maneuver the procurement/purchasing processes, against the federal government’s instruction on local capacity building.
In a petition to the companies signed by the Executive Chairman, Enaefewan Friday and Secretary, Kodesoh Munis, copies of which were sent to the federal, state governments, security agencies as well as community leaders, the Ekpan contractors demanded as follows;
“That you should as a matter of urgency call your Management Team to order or possibly setup an investigating panel to look deeply into our allegation so as to see things for yourself. They award Contracts and Major Procurements opportunities to their representatives/cronies while Indigenous/Community Contractors suffer in poverty. God forbid!
- Automatic registration of our members with Contracts/Procurement/Purchasing Departments for immediate
- We demand the allocation of 75% of all Contracts and Supply opportunities “TO BE RESERVED” for the Ekpan Indigenous/Community Contractors (EICA) henceforth. Enough is enough.
- We also demand a robust engagement plan for EICA members and the establishment of an official quarterly meeting with your Management to give room for checks and balance in the Procurement Processes. Ends
Below is the full text of the petition
EC/EDC/EICA/PET. Vol-5/31-EFO
3rd November, 2016
To: Lee Engineering & Construction Ltd
Km 5, New-Port Expressway, Ekpan
To: Nest-oil Limited
Km 4, New-Port Expressway, Ekpan
To: JAD Construction Limited
Km 5, New-Port Expressway, Ekpan
Attention: The Operation Directors/Operations Manager
Sir,
21-DAYS ULTIMATUM FOR YOUR MANAGEMENT TO FIX-UP THE GROSS MARGINALISATION/NON-INCLUSION OF EKPAN INDIGENOUS/COMMUNITY CONTRACTORS IN THE EXECUTION OF YOUR PROJECTS
“The good we secure for ourselves is precarious and uncertain until it is secured for all of us and incorporated into our common life.” ― Jane Addams
“Those who profess to favor freedom and yet depreciate agitation are people who want crops without ploughing the ground; they want rain without thunder and lightning; they want the ocean without the roar of its many waters. The struggle may be a moral one, or it may be a physical one, or it may be both. But it must be a struggle. Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and it never will.” ― Frederick Douglass
It is on this ground we stand to condemn and reject in its entirety the gross marginalization and disenfranchisement of our Indigenous/Community Contractors by your Management on the execution of your various Projects with your cronies and frontiers/representatives who are been used to by your Management to rob us of our opportunities, against the local content (Contractor’s) engagement policy/plan of the Federal Government of Nigeria.
Dear Managing Director Sirs, we wish to draw your various attention to the happenings in your operations among other things;
- Engagement of some specific contractors by your Management who they use as their representatives in the day to day awards of Supplies and Contracts on a “kill and divide bases”.
- Deliberate gang-up by the said “cabal” against the Indigenous/Community Contractors in other to continue to maneuver the Procurement/Purchasing processes here in Ekpan, against the Federal Government’s instruction on Local Capacity building.
- Refusal to register Indigenous/Community Contractors for various supplies/contracts and serious gang up by the said cabal against the inclusion of tried and tested members in your Contractors Data Base so as to avoid competitions on their kill and divide deals
- Non patronage of tried, tested and proven, qualified, capable and competent Indigenous/Community Contractors in the day to day procurements/purchases/contracts for your operations.
We can go on and on.
We the Executive and members of Ekpan Indigenous Contractors Association are very much concerned about the worsening situation and the unprecedented damage(s) all these can cause if not urgently addressed.
With the interest of our Communities at heart and as operational stakeholders, in our daily pursuit of peace and security with the quest to avoid any breakdown of law and order, have in the cause of reviewing this gross disenfranchisement meted against us by the “cabals” can now state with all sense of responsibility as follows:
- That you should as a matter of urgency call your Management Team to order or possibly setup an investigating panel to look deeply into our allegation so as to see things for yourself. They award Contracts and Major Procurements opportunities to their representatives/cronies while Indigenous/Community Contractors suffer in poverty. God forbid!
- Automatic registration of our members with Contracts/Procurement/Purchasing Departments for immediate
- We demand the allocation of 75% of all Contracts and Supply opportunities “TO BE RESERVED” for the Indigenous/Community Contractors (EICA) henceforth. Enough is enough.
- We also demand a robust engagement plan for EICA members and the establishment of an official quarterly meeting with your Management to give room for checks and balance in the Procurement Processes.
As bonafide stakeholders, we have the responsibility to halt any act that is tailored towards disfranchising the good, peace-loving people of Ekpan Community. We have waited patiently and tirelessly for opportunities to no avail.
We are thus in this connection writing to your various Management to carefully look at this disparity with a view of proffering positive solution by way of engaging our members with 75% of all Contracts/Procurements/Purchases because we have capable and qualified Contractors that would deliver at all times.
To show our understanding and our readiness to work harmoniously with the various companies, we are given your Management Twenty-One days (21 days) to address our request. This we know will give your various Management more room to be able to fix things up in a well-organized form.
On our part, we shall calm down the aggrieved members and shall ensure peace and order in our Community while waiting for your prompt and urgent intervention on the positive way forward within the specified period.
Take notice sirs, should this harmless letter of ours be treated with levity and contempt, we will have no other option other than to cry to the whole world via the PRINT and MASS MEDIA to come to our rescue and to employ every legal means to fight for our right. COME THE EXPIRATION OF OUR 21-DAYS ULTIMATUM, WE SHALL BLOCK THE ENTIRE NPA EXPRESSWAY FOR NO VEHICULAR MOVEMENT TILL OUR CASE IS LOOKED INTO AND RESOLVED POSITIVELY.
Thanking you in advance for your highly solicited prompt and urgent intervention.
“A STITCH IN TIME SAVES NINE”.
Sincerely;
For: EKPAN INDIGENOUS CONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION:
Enaefewan Friday Kodesoh Munis
Executive Chairman Secretary
Cc: For your information and possible intervention, please
- Senator Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa Executive Governor of Delta State
Delta State,
- Mr. Ovie Agas
Secretary to Delta State Government,
Government House, Asaba
- Hon. Bright Edejewhro
The Honorable Commissioner,
Local Government & Chieftancy Affairs, Asaba
- Chief V.E. Otomiewo (Esq.)
The Usiavwe of Ekpan
- The S.A. to the Governor
Community Affairs,
Governor’s Office, Asaba
- The S.A. to the Governor
Oil & Gas,
Governor’s Office, Asaba
- The S.A. to the Governor
Youths Development & Empowerment,
Governor’s Office, Asaba
- Commanding Officer,
Nigeria Army,
Effurun Barracks, Effurun
- The Area Commander
Nigeria Police Force,
Warri
- Barr. Believe Otemu
Care-taker Committee Chairman,
Interim EDC, Ekpan
