Reps to probe Total Nigeria for violation of Local content act

The House of Representatives has called for an investigation into alleged violations of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Act by Total E&P Limited for its refusal to engage indigenes of the oil-producing communities.

The House mandated its Committees on Local Content and Legislative compliance to investigate the allegations and report back to the House in 6 weeks for further legislative action.

The resolution followed a motion moved on Tuesday during plenary by Awaji-Inombek Abiante, entitled: Call for Investigation of the Activities of Total E&P Nigeria Limited on the Deliberate Neglect, Underdevelopment and Abandonment of its Corporate Legal Responsibilities under the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Act (NOGICD), 2010.

Leading the debate, Abiante disclosed that Total has produced over 500 million barrels of crude oil from the Amenam/Kpono oil platform, located in the Andoni Local Government Area, Rivers State, without abiding by the Local Content law.

He said: “…out of over fifty (50) contractors and sub-contractors that worked for Total in establishing the platform and are still working for it in its operations, not one was or is of Andoni ancestry, contrary to the provisions of Section 3(2), 25, 26, 27, and 28 of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development (NOGICD) Act, 2010.”

He also added that Total has carried out projects worth billions of Dollars within the communities, but the accumulation of its cooperate social responsibilities is abysmal.

He stated: “Andoni Local Government Area has lately been beset by uncontrolled cult activities, unprecedented armed robbery, kidnappings, reprisal killings, mayhem and destruction, engendered by joblessness and lack of meaningful methods of livelihood for the teeming youth population.

“Total has not maintained a good relationship with the host communities and by the current estimates, the projects are estimated to be worth over $3.5 billion and projected to create over 50,000 jobs, but currently, Total E&P and its Joint Venture partners Free Zone Enterprises have commenced staff recruitment without employing a single Andoni indigene.

“Total E&P Ltd. has not executed cumulative developmental projects worth up to Two Hundred Million Naira in towns of the host communities, despite the profit of billions of dollars from its operations in the communities.”