RCC and the task of corporate social responsibility.

Reynolds Construction Company (RCC) of Nigeria;
The Nigerian Union of Journalists;
The Nigerian Labour Congress;
Conference of Ethnic Nationalities of Nigeria.
Benin National Congress

Dear Sir,
A case of alienation of Benin indigenes in Edo State; and rebuttal to the doctrines of corporate social responsibility against Reynolds Construction Company, Ofosu project site, Edo State by the Benin Development Union (BEDU).

Anyone with the least sense of history of contemporary Edo people will appreciate that the Benin Development Union is a pan Benin socio-cultural organization in Nigeria that has been pursuing the gospel of peace, hospitality and justice in all matters of the Nigerian state for so many years now. Again, we wish to restate our conviction that the body language of state actors and corporate bodies is largely responsible for hostile tendencies of host communities. Youths and gallant women are labeled militants the moment they embark on protests; but no one labels the corporate body that flouts laid down rules of engagements with communities. What an irony! It is on this plank that we have resolutely resolved to formally protest the uncouth disposition of the Project Management of the RCC in Ofosu community site for blatantly cancelling minor works like diesel supply, field workers recruitment and drivers employment from Benin indigenes (who are the host community's inhabitants) and reallocating same to some Yoruba's that are based in Ivory Coast.

President Goodluck Jonathan GCFR has left no one in doubt of his commitment to project and protect the sanctity of corporate social responsibility; as well as local content development. Every institution, whether private or public is expected to compliment indigenous development by allocating minor works to its host community indigenes; it is therefore burdensome to the Benins of Ofosu community that the privileged position for some of their children and wards could be brazenly withdrawn from them without recourse to their peaceful disposition and the complimentary roles they have been playing to the hospitality of RCC staffs and project facilities. It has become incumbent on us, as a group that believes in the doctrine of existence - as a divine call to touch the lives of communities and inhabitants, to make this clarion call for the unconditional reinstatement of these privileges in the overall interest of peace and hospitality.

We call on the management of RCC to reconsider the suspension of Benin minor-service-providers within seven (7) days of this publication in the interest enhanced mutual relations, else, we shall stage an earth-moving procession to all locations of RCC in Edo State; unless the young men and women are allowed to continue to do their jobs in as much as they are not dubious or suspect. Germane issues that affects indigenes of communities must be the primary concern of all stakeholders, including security operatives who truly believes in engendering social order, otherwise, we cannot guarantee the safety of RCC personnel in the event of violent hostility in that part of Benin territory, because the people have not shown traits of violence, and no one has an exclusive preserve of restiveness.

A stitch in time saves nine!

Okao' Columbus Edoimioya
Publicity Secretary, Benin Development Union. 19th May, 2013