As a means of stemming the rising number of jobless youths in Nigeria, especially in the oil-rich Niger Delta region, a multinational oil service firm, Saipem Nigeria Limited is to engage 1, 5000 youths.
The youths, who are to be engaged in the company’s expansion projects in Rivers State are to be recruited from the company’s area of operation as a way of giving them a sense of belonging and to also curb youths restiveness in the region.
The Legal Consultant and Community Liaison Officer of Saipem Nigeria Limited, Chief Ikechi Wagbara who disclosed this in Port Harcourt stated that out of the number, 340 will be recruited from Rumuolu-meni in Obio/-Akpor Local Government Area of the state.
Wagbara, who was a former member of the Rivers State House of Assembly said the company’s training school established some years ago has helped in impacting the requisite skills on youths in the area, even as he described the relationship between Saipem and its host communities as very cordial.
According to him, with the implementation of the Memorandum of Under-standing (MOU), the area now boast of water, employment and culverts to ease the flood problems in the community.
He described those who have been causing trouble in area as “idle unemployable persons” who have nothing to offer, even as he added, “the sole aim of these people is to cause chaos and crisis because it is only by so doing, that they can benefit”.
“I must emphasise that there are idle unemployed persons in Rumuolumeni who take delight in exploiting crisis situations for their selfish interest. We don’t have any crisis in our community.
And a testimony to this assertion is the fact that all Saipem projects are going on without any hindrance.
“It is our candid hope that other oil companies will emulate Saipem by giving the people of their host communities a sense of belonging through the provision of basic social amenities in their areas of operations”, he said.
Source: Thisday