JOURNALISTS in Akwa Ibom State have threatened to boycott activities of an American oil exploration and exploitation firm, ExxonMobil, saying the mode of operation of the oil giant in the state does not add value to the socio-economic well being of the state, writes Okon Bassey in ThisDay.
Rising from its monthly congress, journalists in the state under the umbrella of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), regretted that authorities of the America oil major had been treating with disdain persistent call by the government and people of the state on ExxonMobil to relocate its corporate headquarters to the state where it does most of its oil business.
A communiqué released yesterday in Uyo, the state capital noted that apart from robbing the state of its due tax revenue the refusal of the oil company to relocate its headquarters to the state has also disfranchised the state in terms of employment of citizens made to assume squatter's in ExxonMobil establishments.
The communiqué signed by the Chairman of the State Council of NUJ, Ephraim Etti, Secretary of the union, Comrade Joe Effiong, equally frowned at the reluctance of ExxonMobil to positively respond to the Union's activities and programmes.
"Congress also noted with regrets the depreciating treatment to which ExxonMobil subjects the Union and members at its so-called yearly get-together dinner, where only a handful of journalists are handpicked to be further embarrassed with "gifts" item not worthy to be given to babies as toys", the union said.
The union described as an insult from the oil firm to be given such an embarrassing "gift" items after the coverage of its activities for a year without any benefits, monetary or otherwise as appreciation.
It was resolved that ExxonMobil should as a matter of priority set a-two year timetable, and make same known to government and people of the state, for the final relocation of its corporate headquarters to the state.
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