now this is what u get when u sold ur a$$ cheap emm like #1.50k haha

Expatriate dominance threatens local staff in Zain
By Joseph Ushigiale, 03.07.2009
Saturday, March 7, 2009 this day

Local staffers on the employ of the second largest network carrier in the country, Zain have raised alarm over the on-going systemic replacement of senior executive Nigerian staff with Arab expatriates by the Kuwaiti-based parent company, MTC, which holds a majority stake in Zain.

Investigations carried out by THISDAY indicate that the Kuwaiti shareholder which owns 65 percent of Zain may end up eroding the local human resources base if government authorities fail to take urgent steps to stem the current attempt to ease out Nigerians from its top management hierarchy.

One Zain staff who spoke on the development said that “at the last count, four Nigeria executive staff had been replaced by expatriate Arab personnel who are not even as qualified as the people they are replacing.”

According to the official, “in the last three months, four Nigerians who hitherto occupied the positions of the Chief Human Resources Officer, Deputy Human Resources Officer, Chief Sales Officer and Chief Marketing Officer have been systemically replaced by Arab expatriates.”

He said that the problem with efforts by the parent company to “arabanise” its Nigerian subsidiary is that positions such as CHRO, CMO and CSO really ought to be left to people with an understanding of the local terrain and market.

“We really don’t know why Arab expatriates that will cost the company more to retain should be brought in. Given the economic downturn, other companies are implementing cost-cutting measures. Zain on the other hand is increasing its cost profile.”

It was gathered that the current trend was fuelled by the 2007 100 per cent acquisition of Celtel by MTC, the Kuwaiti based telecom giant.

MTC is therefore utilizing its shareholding advantage to strategically displace Nigerians already in key positions in favour of its citizens.

Although there is a Nigerian Chief Executive Officer (CEO) in the person of Bayo Ligali, the present move by MTC, it was learnt, is directed at further weakening his hold on the day-to-day running of the company, especially in the area of decision making.

The source confided that the situation had deteriorated to the point that “because MTC owns controlling shares, it is fond of taking unilateral decisions even at the board level without consultation.

“Right now decisions are brought to the board to be rubber stamped as most of the major issues that require vigorous deliberations are already a fait accompli when it comes to voting.”

The source pointed at the on-going fracas over the unauthorized payment for a five-year leasehold on a 5,040 square-metre property situated at Banana Island, Ikoyi for $27 million when its competitor, Etisalat acquired through outright purchase a similar property on 5,000 square metres for $20.8m.

The property in question currently serves as Zain’s head office at Banana Island and is said to belong to one of the directors/lawyers of Zain, Konye Ajayi (SAN).

Its rental by the company led one of the shareholders, Broad Communications last August to institute a derivative action at the Federal High Court, Lagos, citing poor corporate governance, among other issues

Making a case for the relevant authorities to intervene as it is done in other countries of the world, the official said “it is important that Nigerians must continue to retain some strategic positions on the management of the company for the obvious reason that they know the terrain and it is good for Nigeria especially for human capital development.”

It was revealed that Zain’s problems, which include series of litigations and counter litigations, could worsen as shareholders are spoiling for a fight over unpaid dividends about eight years after investing in the company.

Speaking on the development, an official with Broad Communications said concerns over “arabanisation” have not been brought to its attention and was unaware of it.

He stated that Broad Communications as a shareholder is more concerned with its law suit which is in the public domain.

In suit instituted by Broad Communications, the company is challenging the manner in which Celtel (later Zain) purportedly acquired 65 percent controlling shares in Vee Networks by a “board constituted without clarity as to which shareholders some members were representing; composition and chairmanship of committees of the board, especially the audit committee; the continued retention of the investment committee of the board despite the purported closure of the acquisition transaction together with its attendant cost; and the absence of sufficient or any communication from the company with regard to significant events affecting Broadcomm’s substantial investment in the business.”

Broadcomm is contending that these lapses sufficiently expose “the applicant’s substantial investment in the company to risk and fall short of international best practice in terms of corporate governance.”

Among the issues raised by the aggrieved investor were breaches of fiduciary duties to the company by the directors.

From inception, Zain has been mired in several battles and law suits that have stunted its ability to claw back MTN’s lead in the telecom market.

At the last count, there were three major legal suits hanging over Zain. On the one hand it is still in court with Econet Wireless International over pre-emptive rights to sell its shares to a new investor without affording EWI the mandatory 60-day right of first refusal.

Added to this is the Broadcomm suit against the Delta State government over the sale of its shares without following due process, and lastly Broadcom’s latest suit challenging what it described as failure of corporate governance, breaches of director’s fiduciary duties to the company and unfair and prejudicial conduct against the present board headed by the chairman, Gamaliel Onosode.”

Indenpendent
Tuesday, March 10, 2009

How foreigners control Nigeria's freight components, by Amiwero
By Andrew Airahuobhor, Correspondent

Inadequate regulation and corruption on the part of government agencies have been given as reasons why foreign multinationals control more than 90 percent of Nigeria's freight components within the freight circle in the maritime industry, thereby resulting in unemployment and arbitrary increase in charges at the ports.

The multinationals are involved in shipping, terminal operations, bonded terminal operations and transport operations, which are at the core within the freight circle in the maritime industry.

Lamenting their domination, president of the National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents, Lucky Amiwero noted that the industry has suffered so much in the hands of these multinationals and concessionaires.

In his words, "97 percent of freight components have been taken over by multinationals, which actually have increased level of unemployment within the freight circle in the maritime industry. For instance, if you look at the people who are handling the shipping companies, they are multinationals and these shipping companies are linked to concessionaires."

Giving examples of the linkage between the multinationals to ensure the control of freight business and determination of charges at the ports, he pointed out that each of the terminals has its sister company that does the shipping and logistics services and even bonded terminal operations.

According to him, "We have APM Terminals, Maerskline and Lilypond Container Terminal as bonded warehouse. We have Tin Can Island Container Terminal and Lansal, then you have Port and Terminal Multiservices Limited (PTML) and Grimaldi. There is also Five Star Logistics and Comets. The only indigenous operators that you have there are some bonded terminal operators and just Port and Cargo Handling Company."

He added that "You find out that they are shipping company concerns, they are terminal operators, they are bonded terminal operators, they are transport companies, so they have taken over the freight component of Nigeria, what they cannot do in their country."

According to him, other countries have policy infrastructures that actually protect their indigenous operations, where foreigners are not permitted to carry out certain categories of cargo freighting within the country.

"In Nigeria, our windows are left open for people to come in and exploit. That is why foreigners try to introduce charges that are not related to any of the services. You see that people come into this country without control because there is no regulation, there is no control, okay, what is the work of the Nigerian Ports Authority and the Nigerian Shippers Council? All these things must be clearly defined in the law, it must be clearly spelt out so that people will recognize where to

now  Fg sold its a$$ like asking price 50 kobo

[b]Expatriates take over sacked expendable Nigerian workers' jobs in Shell
By Bassey Udo, Assistant Business Editor INDEPENDENT  17-03-09[ /b]

The management of Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), the upstream exploration and production subsidiary of the Shell Group in Nigeria, may have deployed its expatriate staff o take over the jobs vacated by their Nigerian counterparts sacked last week in the wake of the ongoing staff rationalization exercise

Last week, no fewer than 1,500 workers, consisting both regular staff and contract hands working for all affiliates of the group from its locations in Port Harcourt, Warri, Lagos and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, were served letters terminating their appointments.

The latest rationalization exercise, which is the second in the series in recent times, is said to be part of the company's strategy to survive the negative impact of the global economic situation on its operations.

But, Daily Independent gathered on Monday in Lagos that most of the jobs left by the sacked Nigerian workers have since been taken over by expatriates that have either been reassigned from within Nigeria or deployed from other Shell operational locations around the world.

A reliable source close to the company said where there are not enough personnel to carry on with the duties of the office of the sacked Nigerians; such a department is collapsed and brought under the supervision of the immediate available expatriate for supervision.

The source, who pleaded anonymity, said "The expatriates have taken over virtually every job left behind. For every three regular Nigerian staff that have so far been sacked, there is at least one expatriate in the company to take over his job. The situation cuts across all the departments and operational divisions of the company. Even those staff that are left are unsure of their fate under the rationalization exercise."

Shell, which accounts for more than half of Nigeria's total oil output, has been the butt of armed militants' attacks in the Niger Delta since late 2005 when the youths in the region launched a campaign aimed at forcing multinational oil companies to abandon further oil exploitation and production and vacate the region.

Apart from Nigeria's compliance with recent directives by the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) to its members to cut back on their output, a development that has negatively impacted its production capacity, Shell's oil production has consistently declined by more 25 percent as result of decisions to shut in operations from producing fields prone to militant attacks.

Recently, the company was forced to declare a force majeure on scheduled crude oil exports from its two export terminal in Bonny and Forcados following attacks by irate Niger Delta youths who are demanding increased involvement and development as well as equitable allocation of the proceeds from the exploitation of the oil resources from the area

THESE SO CALLED EXPATRIATIE ARE DRUNK DRIVERS IN THEIR RESPECTIVE COUNTRIES

If you think this is bad, research how Chinese companies operate.

very bad!!

MAAAD

ikeyman00:

THESE SO CALLED EXPATRIATIE ARE DRUNK DRIVERS IN THEIR RESPECTIVE COUNTRIES

u seems to ave so much against the expatriates

THESE SO CALLED EXPATRIATIE ARE DRUNK DRIVERS IN THEIR RESPECTIVE COUNTRIES

with shit load of money.

SEE KONI PPL REPLYIN !!

hhha wonder na only koni man so far then shall we speak

The fact of the matter, the pillars which hold Nigeria today is faulty un til you correct this the above will continue. People forget that if can reduce corruption to the bare minimum i can guarantee all this matter will correct itself

yes agree

i think we are talkin slowly and gently now