Indian welders/fitters recruitment: NWA, FISSAN shut down Sterling Global in Delta

•Call on President Tinubu, Gov. Oborevwori to intervene

By Osaro Michael, Benin

Aggrieved protesters of of Nigerian welders Association (NWA) and Fitters Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (FISSAN) on Monday have shut down the welding operations of Sterling Global firm in Ozoro,near Ogini oil field in Isoko North LGA of Delta State over recruitment of Indian welders and Fitters and neglected the two bodies.

The protesters who carried placards of various inscriptions ” Indian welders/ fitters must go”, ” Sterling Global must stop telling lies'” ” Obey Nigerian local content recruitment law” and so on, have called on President Ahmed Bola Tinubu and Governor of Delta State, Chief Sheriff Oborevwori to quickly call to order the management of Sterling Global company to repatriate the Indian welders, fitters and helpers back to their country to maintain the existing industrial harmony in the state.

In their various speeches, the Delta state chairman of Nigerian Welders Association (NWA) zone B, Comrade Eseoghene Odima and chairman Delta state Fitters Senior Staff Association of Nigerian (FISSAN Comrade Friday Atiemoh who were flanked by the National NWA PRO comrade Thomas Mebuliaghanje, FISSAN national Secretary Comrade Morrister Udibra and other top officials of both professional bodies have warned that except Sterling Global stops welding operations with the Indian Welders and fitters and employ them to do the job. They vowed to do everything within the ambit of the law to crumble the firm’s pipeline laying jobs in the Isoko axis of Delta state.

The protesters stopped the welding operations of Sterling Global at Ogini oil field before the eyes of the firm’s security operatives. The soldiers on site maintained decorum for not molesting or harassing the protesters.

They maintained that they have enough qualified welders and Fitters to do the job which the Indians are doing, just as they noted, they have done similar major welding and fitting jobs for various firms in the country.

They accused Sterling Global of disregarding the extant law of local content in the country which ”empowers community and catchment areas to provide 60% workforce and company 40% workforce”

According to them. “The local content law of the company’s 40% workforce recruitment slot is for Nigerians and not foreigners, except on specialty areas where the country cannot field such personnel(s)”

Meanwhile, we could not get the reaction of the firm as no staff was willing to address the protesters or the press at the company’s site, the rationale behind Indian welders, fitters and helpers working alone in deep Isoko forest.