Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State has begged Shell Petroleum Development Company not to sack the few thousands of workers it had earmarked for downsizing in view of the congested labour market in the region and country.
Also, the state government plans to launch a security fund to help government cope with the security challenges facing the state and the peculiar nature of the region which gives rise to extra spending on security.
On why Shell must not sack anyone, Amaechi said unemployment in the region was the greatest challenge facing the Niger Delta, apart from infrastructural development, stating that the company �should see provision of employment as� one of its social responsibilities.
At a meeting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, yesterday with the new Managing Director and Vice President Production in Africa Mutiu Sunmonu, the governor said the planned rationalization may have adverse effect on the operations of the company.
�We believe that if 95 per cent of the criminals in the Niger Delta, were engaged in economic activities or were gainfully employed, they may not have taken to criminality as is the case now�, he said.
He said �as a state which produces the highest quantity of oil and gas in the country, Rivers citizens ought to be treated fairly in terms of employment and other opportunities available in the company�.
Amaechi regretted that there was �nothing to show for the long years of SPDC�s operations in the state� and called on the new management to change the trend for the benefit of both sides.
�We are virtually building all the roads on which Shell is driving to its offices and places of residence and we are yet to know what contributions Shell is making to the state in this respect.�
On security, he announced that �because of the peculiar nature of the Niger Delta, we are spending too much money that would have been used to build roads, schools, hospital and other infrastructure�.