Akwa Ibom govt condemns illegal activities of firm in coastal areas

Akwa Ibom State Government has condemned in it’s entirety the alleged illegal activities of Sterling Global limited, operating in the coastal areas of Ikot Abasi, Mkpat Enin and Eastern Obolo and has vowed to unearth the mysteries surrounding the operations of the company in the State.

At the resumed Tripartite Negotiation meeting held at the Ministry of Labour and Manpower planning in Uyo, Chairman of the Tripartite Negotiation Committee, Chief Assam Assam, SAN, frowned at the alleged inhumane treatment meted on Akwa Ibomites employed in the company by the management and their expatriates stating that the State Government would not sit back and watch her people being humiliated by people in their own State.

Assam, 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, it must identify with the state as well as the host communities and the expatriates 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 rules.

“They must be made to make investments here to enable them pay taxes, we want to know who owns the company,” he added.

Chief Assam further said that failure to provide the necessary information, all land license will be revoked by Government and unsuspecting villagers stating that the government wants to profile people and activities in the state to avoid security breaches.

At the meeting, the  Management of Sterling Global represented by David Walker who responded to salient questions raised by the Chairman of the committee, Chief Assam failed to present concrete documents about the company, the document containing the condition of service for its employees and a detailed nominal roll, their tax clearance documents and other necessary documents required by the committee.

When questioned about his inability to provide the necessary documents as earlier requested, Mr Walker said neither was he authorized nor compelled by any legislation to provide such information.

He however noted that the company has a total of 3710 employees in the State working for them, but failed to list the workers.

Also speaking, the Chairman, Akwa Ibom State Internal Revenue Board, Mr Okon Okon told the committee, 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 they were asked to pay, the always argue that they have not begun operations in the area.

The Commissioner for Labour and Manpower Planning, Mr Aniefiok Nkom, expressed disappointed at the Company for undermining the authority of the State Government and promised that the State Government will invoke all its powers to ensure that the company comes out clean on its operations.

Present at the negotiation meeting include, state Comptroller of Immigration, Jumai Babson , a representative of the DSS Eno Henshaw,, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Labour and Manpower Planning, Mr Effiong Nicholas, Mrs Glory Essien, Assistant Director Labour, Dr.Essien Ndueso ,SSA to the Governor, Barr. Godwin Udo Nta , Transition Chairman, Ikot Abasi, Hon Mercy Bassey, Transition Chairman Mkpat Enin, Hon. Uro Bill Nango, Transition Chairman Eastern Obolo and a host of others.