Tension is brewing in the Kaduna Petrochemical Refining Company (KRPC) as the host community strategizes to embark on peaceful protest following what they described as marginalisation in the recruitment of workers in the ongoing rehabilitation project being undertaken by the Dewoo Engineering Construction Company.
LEADERSHIP findings revealed that there was a memorandum of understanding entered into by the host community (Chikun local government) with the construction company on sharing formular of the workforce.
According to a very competent source who prefers anonymity, the agreement entered into was that while the company will provide 90 percent of the skilled labour the host community will provide the remaining 10 percent.
For the semi-skilled labour, the agreement according to the source was for the construction company to provide 60 percent of the workforce while the host community will provide 40 percent.
But for the unskilled labour, it was agreed that the construction company will provide only 10 percent of the workforce while the host community will provide 90 percent of the total unskilled labour.
The source however exonerated the construction company whom she said has kept to their side of the agreement by asking the management of KRPC to engage the host community but alleged that they hijacked the recruitment exercise against the host community.
The host community fingered the managing director of the KRPC, Engr. Mustapha Sangungu whom they accused of marginalising them and instead decided to give their slots to people outside the community.
Others who spoke to our correspondent during the fact finding mission within the host community said, the marginalisation is capable of causing chaos and could affect the ongoing quick fix project if not addressed accordingly and in good time.
“Dewoo construction company has done their part by keeping to the agreement but the management of KRPC has decided not to keep to the agreement,” they stressed.
Meanwhile, when contacted, the Gbagyi Youth Progressive Union (GYPU) chairman, Ibrahim Ayuba confirmed that the allegation against the management of KRPC is true and that the planned peaceful protest is also true if the issue is not addressed and abnomality corrected.
Meanwhile, when the KRPC Public Affairs Department (PAD) manager Jimah Mahmoud was contacted last week on the allegation, he described it as fallacy but asked that our correspondent come to the office on Monday 11th September, 2023 for further clarification.
However, when our correspondent went to the see him as promised on the said date and time, he said, “ They said we cannot grant interview at our level here to any journalist, so anything you want to get go to the corporate headquarters.”