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Lockdown: Police reportedly arrest 21 oil workers in Rivers
Lockdown: Police reportedly arrest 21 oil workers in Rivers
Twenty-one workers of Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited, a subsidiary of ExxonMobil, have been ‘arrested’ and ‘detained’ by the police in Rivers state, South-South Nigeria, for allegedly violating the lockdown order in the state, the Petroleum & Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), has said.
As part of the measures to halt the spread of the new coronavirus in Rivers State, Governor Nyesom Wike had signed an executive order barring vehicles and flights from entering the oil-rich state.
The workers’ ‘arrest’ is coming a few days after two Caverton Helicopters pilots and their ten passengers were arrested, charged to court, and remanded in Port Harcourt prison for allegedly violating the lockdown order in Rivers State.
The Mobil workers were ‘arrested’ at about 3:30 p.m. on Thursday in Bori, a border town between Rivers and Akwa Ibom State, according to a statement from PENGASSAN. The oil workers, guarded by the police, were traveling from Akwa Ibom to Rivers to work in an oil facility at Intel, Port Harcourt, when their convoy was intercepted by the commissioner of police and a top army commander in Rivers State, PENGASSAN said.
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The PENGASSAN statement is signed by its chairman, Razaq Obe, and the secretary, Kings Udoidua. The association said the oil workers have not broken any law and that “ExxonMobil Nigeria, like other responsible organizations, has adopted 14 days isolation of all personnel as a prerequisite for offshore travels in order to mitigate COVID-19 risk”.
“The commissioner rebuffed all explanations and forced them to move to Elekaya Stadium, Port Harcourt, where they have been detained, verbally assaulted and starved. “The original pretext for sending them to the stadium was to test for COVID-19 but there was no such possibility at the location; it is a construction site.
They rather served them papers to write statements. “It is appalling that Rivers State authorities have turned the global effort to tame COVID-19 to a tool of muscle-flexing and petty oppression of oilfield workers.
“We condemn the continued detention of the 21 members of our Union who stake everything to produce the oil the country depends on for survival.
“We call on all stakeholders to prevail on the government of Rivers State to end this most unpleasant drama,” PENGASSAN said in the statement.
The police spokesperson in River State, Nnamdi Omoni, however, told PREMIUM TIMES that the oil workers were not arrested, but that they are being kept in an isolation centre where they are to be tested for coronavirus.
Nigerian economy depends largely on earnings from crude oil export. The development in Rivers State underscores the delicate balance between keeping Africa’s largest economy alive and fighting the COVID-19 pandemic in the country.
Nigeria has 442 confirmed cases of the coronavirus, with 13 deaths, as of April 15, according to data released by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control. Rivers State has two confirmed cases of the viral infection for now, while Akwa Ibom state has six.
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Kogi state governor, Yahaya Bello, has approved the implementation of N30,000 as minimum wage for the workers in the state.
The secretary to the state government, Folashade Ayoade disclosed this on Tuesday after an extensive meeting with the organized labour in Lokoja
She blamed the delay in the implementation on the inability for the committee to meet regularly due to the covid-19 pandemic which has been overcome.
The SSG equally commended the organised labour for their understanding and patience, which she said has resulted into the signing of the implementation of the new minimum wage.
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Author: Eunice Johnson, Abuja
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has put Deposit Money Banks (DMBs) on notice that it will stop selling forex to them by the end of 2022. CBN Governor Godwin Emefiele made this known in Abuja on Thursday at the end of the Bankers’ Committee Meeting where he also introduced the RT200 Programme.
Emefiele said the time had come for the banks to go out there and source for forex by funding entrepreneurs with ideas. The CBN, Emefiele said, will support the banks by granting rebates and other support until the banks find their feet in sourcing their forex by themselves.
He also disclosed that the apex bank’s policies and measures have led to a significant improvement in diaspora inflow from an average of US$6 million per week in December 2020 to an average of over US$100 million per week by January 2022. He added that the CBN would be reviewing these intervention programmes going forward to ensure that they continue to achieve the desired results.
He said international bodies, including some embassies and donor agencies, have been complicit in illegal forex transactions that have hindered the flow of foreign exchange into the country.
Read Also: CBN Encourages Nigerians to Accept E-Naira
Author: Gift Wada, Abuja
The Comptroller General of Customs Col. Hameed Ibrahim Ali (Rtd.) has approved the deployment of 37 Comptrollers to various Units, Departments and Commands across the country.
This was disclosed in a release signed on Tuesday by the Customs Deputy National, DC Timi Bomodi for the Comptroller General of Customs.
Among those deployed are the present National PRO of Customs Comptroller Joseph Attah who will assume the office of Area Controller of Kebbi Command, Comptroller AAS Oloyede who shall be moving from ICT/MOD to Tin Can Island Port Command, while Comptroller SI Bomoi to FCT Command. Other postings are Comptroller BA Jaiyeoba to Oyo/Osun Command, Comptroller A Dappa-Williams to Eastern Marine Command, Compt. MA Umar Kano/Jigawa, Compt. KC Egwuh ICT/MOD, Compt. LM Mark Enugu/Anambra/Ebonyi, Compt. T Tachio CTC Kano, Compt. AA Umar Western Marine, Compt. M Dansakwa North Eastern Marine, Compt. AC Ayalogu T & T and Compt. KD Ilesanmi will assume duty as Comptroller Board among others.
Ali in postings released on 7th of February, charged the newly posted Comptrollers to justify the confidence reposed in them by NCS Management by bringing to bear their years of experience and training in trade facilitation and anti-smuggling activities on their new assignment.
Given the enormous expectations of government regarding revenue generation in the current year, the Comptroller General reiterated the need for all Area Controllers and Unit heads to take full charge of the affairs of their Commands by ensuring absolute compliance with extant fiscal policies while leveraging on the efficient management of data to optimize trade facilitation and revenue collection.
Furthermore, the CGC directed all officers to be extremely vigilant in protecting the lives and wellbeing of Nigerians by ensuring the full fortification of our borders against the incursion of smugglers and other cross border criminals.
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