Akwa Ibom State Government has condemned the illegal activities of an Oil company known as Sterling Global Limited operating in the coastal areas of Ikot Abasi, Mkpat Enin and Eastern Obolo council areas and promised to reveal their hidden operations particularly maltreatment and outright enslavement of Akwa Ibom indigenous workers in the company.
Illegal operations of the oil firm include tax evasion, maltreatment of indigenous workers and inability to furnish the state with relevant documents covering their operations in the state.
Speaking during negotiation meeting held in Uyo on Monday at the Ministry of Labour and Manpower Planning between the oil firm and workers representatives from the three local government areas of the state, Chairman of the Tripartite Negotiation Committee, Chief Assam Assam, SAN, frowned at the alleged inhumane treatment meted on Akwa Ibom workers employed in the company by the management and their expatriates and warned that the State Government would not sit back and watch her people being humiliated by foreigners in their land.
Assam who is the Director of Government Business said, “I’m not going to stand here and get the management of Sterling Global to insult us as a state. Tell your employers that nobody can come here to treat us badly.”
He explained that for any company to operate in Akwa Ibom State, it must identify with the government and the host communities while their expatriates must duly registered with the Government.
“We don’t know who is working with us, that is an exposed danger already, we need to know the list of companies working with you, they must comply with our local content law.
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“They must make investments here to enable them to pay taxes, we want to know who owns the company”, he added.
Assam further threatened the state government to revoke land licenses if the company fails to provide the necessary information, as government wants to profile people and activities in the state to avoid security bridge.
The Management of Sterling Global represented by David Walker responded to salient questions raised by the Chairman of the Negotiation committee but failed to present concrete documents about the company such as the one containing the condition of service for its employees and a detailed nominal roll, tax clearance and other necessary documents needed by the committee.
When the company representative was asked to provide necessary documents as earlier requested, Mr Walker said the firm was neither authorized nor compelled by any legislation to provide such information.
Walker stated that the company has a total of 3710 employees in the State working for them, but refused to mention them.
The Chairman Akwa Ibom State Internal Revenue Board, Mr Okon Okon while addressing the committee observed that Sterling Global has never paid any form of tax to the Akwa Ibom State Government since they started operation.
He said that each time the firm was approached to pay their taxes, they argue that they have not commenced operations in the state.
The Commissioner for Labour and Manpower Planning, Mr Aniefiok Nkom said he was disappointed by the Company for undermining authority of the State Government and promised that Government will invoke all its powers to ensure that the company comes out clean on its operations.
