Reps order ExxonMobil to reinstate indigenous caterers, halt procurement

Emmanuel Thomas l Wednesday, April 21, 2021

 

ABUJA, Nigeria – The House of Representatives today ordered ExxonMobile to stop further procurement activities on catering contracts and reinstate indigenous contractors who were disengaged without reasons from 2019 till date.

The house also mandated the Committee on Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring to investigate reports of contract splitting in ExxonMobile in favour of foreign companies to the exclusion of indigenous service providers  and to invite ExxonMobil Management, NAPIMS and NCMB. The committee is expected to report to the house within four weeks.

The House made the resolution following reports of unfair treatment of Nigerians who render various services to the company, especially the termination of the catering contract of Royalty Hotels and Eden Hotels (catering companies owned by Nigerians) in August 2019 without clear reasons and re-awarding same to West African Caterers (a foreign company) and employing two expatriates to supervise catering services against the Nigerian Local Content Development (NCD) Act as well as biased procurement processes for catering services targeted at automatically disqualifying proficient Nigerian companies from participating in the new catering technical and commercial bid.

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The matter was tabled under Urgent Need to Investigate the Corporate Attitude of ExxonMobil against Indigenous Service Providers by  Hon Henry Nwawuba who was disturbed that ExxonMobil known for appreciable commitment to the rule of law, respect for individuals and maintaining a harmonious relationship with indigenous host communities will begin to ‘without any sense of caution’ manifest such indistinct tendencies of economic sabotage, particularly at the highest level of her management by ironically disregarding Nigerian government’s efforts to ensure the development of local food and non-food products of high quality and standards for local consumption.

The house was further disturbed that ExxonMobil could exhume such crass abuse and insult to Nigerian government’s policy restrictions on foreign food items by deliberately listing ISO 2200 Certification (a foreign safety qualification) as a mandatory requirement in their Technical Bid document for catering service production not minding the logistic difficulties facing Local Catering Companies as a result of COVID-19 restrictions on international movements.

The house noted that glaring deliberate abuse of the Nigerian Content Development (NCD) Act by ExxonMobil and the contract termination of the Nigerian owned companies have caused untold economic hardship to those Indigenous companies and the host communities if urgent action is not taken to call ExxonMobil to  order. The motion moved by Hon. Henry Nwawuba was seconded by  Hon. Sada Soli.