Sterling Oil Exploration & Energy Production Company Limited through its subsidiary Vcare for Development Foundation (VCDF), in charge of implementing the company’s Corporate Social Responsibility, has been accused of executing ‘shady’ projects at Community Secondary School, Iko Town in Eastern Obolo Local Government Area.
The poor implementation of the project and slow pace of execution may stop over hundred students from writing the West African Senior School Certificate Examinations, WASSCE, in the school if the examination body comes for re-evaluation in December and the school library is not ready.
Our correspondent who visited the school on November 29, queried some workers on site on why the company decided to carry out such work, but they blamed VCDF for taking the host community for granted.
They described the company’s action as an affront to the sensibility of Iko people.
“I have never seen a set of people so insincere and crafty as Indians. These people do not care about your feelings and they are not interested in anybody’s welfare.
“Everyday VCDF, which is managed by Indians, keeps cutting down on the agreed price and the Indians come here everyday to tell us what to do and what not to do.” One of the workers who did not want his name mentioned on print disclosed this.
Approval by Ministry of Education
A letter dated 19th January, 2024, and signed by the National Programme Manager of Vcare for Development Foundation, was addressed to the Honourable Commissioner for Education, Mrs. Idongesit Etiebet, seeking approval of the Ministry to carry out “infrastructure renovation “ in Community Secondary School, Iko Town.
On February 5, 2024, approval letter with reference number MOE/AD/COM 8/VOL.XIV/220 and signed by Director, State Education Quality Assurance Service, Mrs. Roseline Mfon on behalf of the Commissioner was sent to the foundation. Barely 9 months after the approval, VCDF began renovation of some blocks by November.
The letter reads in part: “With reference to your letter dated 19th January, 2024 on the above subject, I am directed to convey the approval of the Ministry for you to carry out infrastructural renovation of Iko Community Secondary School, Iko Town, Eastern Obolo Local Government Area.”
When our correspondent visited the school on Friday, November 29, the Principal General was not available to speak on the situation. But a member of staff who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of being sanctioned, narrated how VCDF removed some roof sheets from the structures within the school with a promise that the renovation work will finish within two months.
The teacher revealed that they were surprised to see the contractor removed one side of the roof to the school and replaced the section with green sheets of zinc, leaving the other section of the roof with old roof sheets.
“When the Principal General confronted them on why they removed a section of the roof leaving the other hidden part with the old roofing sheets, the contractor said that was what VCDF asked him to do.” The teacher narrated.
It was gathered that VCDF had allegedly made demands for the principal to release the condemned roofing sheets for the contractor to take to Uyo and refurbish for use, a demand our source said was rejected by the principal.
The Crest also discovered that some roofing sheets of the second structure was partially removed, about seven sheets, a development teachers and students have kicked against.
“I mean if the whole building is leaking, why should a company that voluntarily decided to renovate a structure remove some roofing sheets and left the remaining roofing sheets still intact? This is a sheer display of irresponsibility and a total disregard to the very community the company is operating from.” One of the workers said.
The Contractor
Facts gathered indicated that contract work for renovation of some structures in the school is divided into parts and awarded to different contractors.
Contract for roofing was awarded to Expert Cruiser Science and Project. When the Executive Director of the company, Hon. Prince Asobi was contacted, he declined speaking on the issue, but referred our correspondent to VCDF for comments on issues concerning the project.
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However, one of the workers found excavating and desilting gutters around one of the buildings, said every project executed in the school is done according to Bill Of Quantity, BOQ given to contractors by VCDF.
He explained that, for Expert Cruiser Science and Project to roof the house the way it is, it means the company is doing the project according to the BOQ given by VCDF.
Community Reaction
When the youth leader of Iko Town, Emmanuel Nna, was asked if he was aware of the ongoing project in the school, he answered in affirmation, but argued that the community is not satisfied the way VCDF is going about the project.
He wondered how the company will commission a project that half of the roof is removed and the rest is left.
“I can say that is not what the community wants from the company. Even today, I was talking with the Manager of the company, but he told me he was rushing to somewhere. The community is not okey with the project because it is not properly done the way it should.
“Meeting with the company is not a priority for now because the company knew what they want to do before they awarded the contract. If VCDF wanted the community to be involved, they should have used the community consultant. But they chose to award the contract to somebody close to them or a company that has been working for them. We in the community are not aware of what is involved or how the contract was awarded.
“All what we want is standard renovation of the school blocks. The contractor said he was given only 315sqm roofing area whereas everything is more than 700sqm. Tell me how you want to renovate a building you will just remove some parts and leave the rest. During commissioning of the project, how will people see such project?
“The community is not happy. I have tried my best as the youth leader by meeting with the manager on several occasions but he has refused to say something.
“I may not blame him because I am not one of his co-workers. It could be that he has reasons to reserve his comments on the project. Even today, I met with him, but he said he was rushing to Uyo and promised to chat me up. I am still waiting for him to respond because from that project, so many other things will be affected. I am going to stop the company’s operation on or before 10th December”, the youth leader said.
Sterling Global’s Responds
Sterling Oil Exploration & Energy Production Company Limited, an oil exploration company in Eastern Obolo that awarded the contract through VCDF, has insisted that the mandate given to the contractor was not to construct a new building, but to renovate those blocks by replacing old dilapidated materials with new ones.
Speaking with The Crest, Engr. Nnmadi who supervises the project on behalf of Sterling Oil Exploration & Energy Production Company Limited said, “we didn’t plan to build a new structure. What we had in mind was to renovate. Renovate means removing things that are bad and replace them with better ones.
“ I was involved in drafting the scope. Because we didn’t climb up to measure the roof, I advised the Quantity Surveyor to provide for new roofing sheets such that even if the contractor wants to cheat, we will have enough sheets to cover all the bad areas. So, they provided more than enough, but when the contractor got there, he removed the whole area.
“I believe his idea was to remove the whole area and select the sheets that are bad, keep them aside, reuse the good ones and replace the bad ones with new ones, not knowing that people will come and ask him to replace everything. Maybe they are thinking the contractor has been paid to replace everything but wants to cheat them. That is not the situation.
“When the issue came up, we told them what we have in mind is to replace the bad sheets, but they insisted that everything should be new.
“Because of that experience in block one, subsequent blocks we have told the contractor to climb up and replace only the bad sheets.
“We are changing the whole floor because there are no tiles at all. We have enough tiles and ceiling but roofing sheets of those days are even of higher quality than the ones we have now. So where the sheets are good, they don’t need to remove them. They will only remove the bad sheets and replace with the good sheets.
“Even when they started the complaint, I made their request known to the management but the management frowned at it and insisted we replace only what we have in the BOQ.
“We did not promise them we are coming to build a new school block, so what we have told the contractor is that he should select the good roofing sheets and put them back. Why the contractor has not completed the work is that each time he wants to do it, people would complain as if the company gave the contractor money and he refused to carry out the work. They should not expect the contractor to do more than what he was asked to do.
“A Bill of Quantity is raised for each job. Whatever the contractor do is what he is going to be paid for. We are not coming to deroof everything and replace it with new ones”, Nnamdi said.
Sterling Global antecedent in Eastern Obolo
Since the company began its operation in Eastern Obolo Local Government Area, where the company’s personnel are carrying out oil exploration, the company’s image has been tainted with flurries of petitions on environmental degradation, labour exploitation and human rights abuses.
On September 20,2023, a civil society group- Media Action for Accountable Leadership, in her press release titled: “Exposing Sterling Global Negative Activities in Eastern Obolo,” and signed by the Head of Legal Department, Matthew Matthew Akpan, Esq., accused the company of destruction of the ecosystem in Eastern Obolo, forceful eviction of Eastern Obolo people from their ancestral land to make way for the company’s projects without adequate compensation or consultation; exploitative labour practises; exploitation and buy-off of the youths, among other things.
Sterling Global which goes with a coded operation name as Natural Oilfield Service Limited (NOSL) in Eastern Obolo Local Government Area and Ibom Developers FZE in Mkpat Enin Local Government Area, has prided itself to have executed some corporate responsibility projects through its foundation VCDF in several schools.
A recent press release shows that the company has launched transformative programme at Iko Community Secondary School in Iko Town by “building well-structured infra facilities and interventions rooting long term and sustainable impact.
“The Foundation also provides tools and resources to strengthen science education, including curriculum-based laboratory apparatus and consumables for Physics, Chemistry, and Biology. These resources enable students to gain hands-on -experience, sparking curiosity and interest in the pursuit of science.”
However, these claims by the company have raised doubt among many Akwa Ibomites as some media practitioners in the state are set to track the veracity of these projects listed by the company across the state.
