Some concerned Nigerians working on a Port Harcourt-based major oil and gas serving company, Ciscon, have dragged the Chief Executive Officer of the firm, Shawley James Coker, to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), accusing him of sabotaging the economy of Nigeria.

The workers accused Coker of hiding foreign firms for 18 years thereby depriving the Federal Government of billions of naira by evading taxes and refusing to remit taxes collected from workers of the company.

The concerned workers wrote a four-page petition supported with nine attachments to the Commission and followed this up with a three-page written statement which is being reviewed by the Investigation Officer (IO) of the EFCC at its zonal office in Port Harcourt.

The workers said they were ready to submit many tonnes of documents to substantiate their allegations, submitted the petition was submitted by the petitioners’ lawyer, A.M. Akatugba & Co, and it was accepted by the EFCC in Port Harcourt as far back as October 31, 2016..

The lawyer stated that Ciscon Nigeria Limited is an oil and gas servicing company with headquarters at Kilometer 14, Aba Road, Port Harcourt, near Eleme Flyover area and the petition described the managing director as Shawley James Coker, a Nigerian-born Sierra Leonean who resides more in the United States

Ciscon is said to be engaged in casing and tubular services, well completion and slick line, machine shop, fabrication and fishing tool services as well as training services for oil and gas producing and other service companies. Documents before the EFCC indicated Coker is the CEO/chairman of board and major shareholder of Ciscon with an equity holding of 95 per cent.

The EFCC invited the workers and they wrote a statement confirming the petition which was signed by the representative of the workers in which he explained what he called ‘fraudulent practices’ and a call for investigation and prosecution of the Ciscon CEO.

The aggrieved workers told the EFCC that Coker in collusion with a foreign company called O-D Rentals International, contrary to various sections of the Companies Income Tax Act (CITA), 2004 (as amended), defrauded the Nigerian Government of taxes for a period of over 18 years within which the company (OD Rentals) had taxable presence in Nigeria before it was ultimately acquired by Ciscon.

The workers reminded the EFCC of the provisions of Section 54 of Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA), 1990, which specifically bars a foreign company from operations in Nigeria if not incorporated or exempt from so doing.

The workers said that there seemed to be intention of defrauding the Nigerian Government of the sums in Companies Income Tax (CIT) right from the onset, based on the wordings of the working agreement between Ciscon Nigeria Limited (CNL) and OD Rentals International.

The statement said: “In order to facilitate the secret operations of O-D Rentals International in Nigeria without fulfilling the conditions precedent to operations in the said section 54 of CAMA as well as evading the CIT, Coker opened two operational bank accounts with Diamond Bank Plc in the name of CNL but solely operated by staff members of O-D Rentals International who were secretly operating from CNL’ operational base.

“These staffers though employees of O-D Rentals International were placed on Ciscon’s payroll to forestall being traced. Periodically, reconciliation statements were prepared by both companies to agree financial positions. In some cases, payments for jobs especially from Mobil Petroleum Nigeria, undertaken by O-D Rentals International were paid into CNL’s Sterling Bank account. In almost all cases, O-D Rentals International was sub-contractors on most CNL’s contracts especially for tools rental, hence it invoices CNL who in turn invoices the contractees for jobs executed.”

The workers alleged that with these seeming impregnable arrangements in place, Coker in collusion with O-D Rentals International was able to help O-D Rentals International evade the CIT for over 18 years before he finally acquired the company in January 2015.

It reads, “Upon acquisition of the company under reference, Coker then changed the mandates on the accounts to become the sole signatory to them. We have attached the supporting documents herewith.

“In view of the foregoing, it is indisputable that O-D Rentals International, now owned by Ciscon, satisfied two conditions (of the law) namely existence of Fixed Base and Agency tests, and therefore liable to CITA and Withholding Tax (WHT) including but not limited to penalty and interests in Nigeria for the period of over 18 years within which it operated before it was acquired.”

http://leadership.ng/2017/12/10/workers-drag-ciscon-ceo-efcc-alleged-economic-sabotage/

Location, notwithstanding
Language, immaterial
Culture, irrespective
Race, irrelevant
Even Creed and doctrines
Matter little in its cause
For it, known human barriers melt
A sinew binding all humanity
A universal ideal in all men's heart.
It's price, reasonable
Its cause, noble
Its battle, worthwhile
With it, vistas of self-discovery
And self-determination enhanced
Through it, destinies are discovered and shapened
Ultimately, pursued for attainment
In it, egalitarian milieu enthroned
By it, equal access to means assured
Indeed, freedom in its fullest spectrum
God's most prized gift to man is.

The dark waters of Slave Trade
It's fierceness confine not
The sour pall and consort of
Colonialist and Neo-colonialist bents
In time, subdued it not
Dreary socio-economic isms
Varyingly garbed and spangled overtime
Insurmountable realized it to be
Serenading Steed of self
And its awful Rider
Its voice could not silence.
As with its other virtuous ilks
Usurpers never grant it as deserving
But ardently demanded for
By the troika of
Courage, determination and perseverance.

Armed with same lofty ideals
Commonality and singularity of purpose
Shared destination in sight
Cognizant it's a necessary and sufficient ambience
Determined to take charge of our destinies
Crowned with consent of our Creator
Began the fatiguing March towards
Our much coveted Economic freedom
Defying all odds and Nay Sayers
Trail blazing this oft lonely and orphaned path
Spurred on by its success
Given unwavering and unprecedented
Courage and determination
Fuelled by sheer perseverance
In a matter of no distant time
Freedom was potentially ours again.

Quantum leap made
Voice of freedom duly heard
Steed of self cuffed
Smarting and cowering in trenches
Convinced of fallibility of
Our mutual Steed of self
Emboldened by proximity of
Freedom on the horizon
Battle duly drawn in array
Onward we march to prevail.

We may not have attained yet
Our coveted economic freedom
Sure, we are no longer in Slave Avenue
We are transiting via Hope Street
En route Faith Avenue
Until we arrive Freedom Boulevard.
Our collective mantra remains:
Never again would
The dark waters of slavery
Take precedence over and above
The glowing and resplendent light of hope;
Never again shall
The pall of Neo-Colonialist isms
Couched and cloaked in capitalism
But largely spiced with Feudalism
Gain ascendancy to attenuate our freedom;
No more shall
The Steed of self and its rider
Take us for granted again;
Indeed we are prepared to defend
Our freedom from Usurpers
Even poised for the supreme price
In defence of our cherished freedom.

The anxiety, palpable
Expectations, overarching
Outcome, breath-takingly life-changing
A turning point of sorts
Many a heart, panting
Hushed tones, visibly varied
The craving thickening
Soon, cringing despair
Would give way to renewed hope
The much awaited day here at last.

The riotous fear of the future,
What she holds; What is held for her
Unsettled, deepens the uneasiness.
Renewed offensive of Ciscon feudal Lord
The feudalist's factitious dramatics
Fearsome crescendo, assume
With crippling hysteria, the heart streched
Surely, something needs done, and fast too.

But then, a twist of fate impends,
The beginning of the end of
The feudalist, its apologists alike.
In between the beginning of the end
And in betwixt the end of the beginning
The lofty heights of the heavens
In concur, the earth to kiss
Ushering the radiant splendour
Lightning the dawning of the august day,
Bearer of the auspicious Time
And rendezvous with untiring destiny.

Unhazed, She crept in
Confident, fated moment here
With joyous aura, the arena enveloped
Tortuous, the travel been
En route the dauntless bridge of faith
Egged on by tenacity of purpose
Cashing in on the golden opportunity
Against all stacked odds, prevailed
Out of the womb of necessity birthed
our great Union, Ciscon PENGASSAN:
The Very Child of necessity
With rousing welcome received
The teeming proletariat polarised;
The harbinger of renewed hope on the horizon;
Indeed, an inevitable rallying point
So the Present inexorably
The riotous future Impact ,
What she bequeaths & bequeathed.

How lies now emplaced desolate
In lonesome & forlorn quietude
once bubbly beehive of activities
and sublime scenery called Ciscon:
the quondam quintessential brand
and storied herald of local content;
Expander & exporter of our business
frontiers to other climes;
A promising Nigerian business child of sorts.

Enter, a ravaging wave of greed;
Unbridled & untamed covetousness,
An obsessive lust for other men's
most prized private Cisterns;
Sudden, yet sizeable blitz on meritocracy
By square pegs in round holes instantiated;
Raj of uncouth & unequalled self glorification
Ultimately, spawned & hewn systemically.

Ensue, crawlingly though but consistently,
Veiled mistrust between mgt & staff;
Beleaguered army & rising rank
Of unsated staff craving satiety;
In time, loss of reputation & patronage
with ensuant reduced customer base;
In all, relations with stakeholders strained
And blithe flagrance & deafness
To the ever crying voice of Reason.

Thus began the rapid & rudderless,
Yet debasing & detestable descent of
The erst enviable & towering Ciscon
Into the ignoble & ignominious
pathway & precipice of the dreadful Abyss:
That oft deserted & disgusting depth
And voiceless void where visions & values
And their teeming invaluable ilks
Are sacrificed on the altar of fleeting Self;
Precisely, a plunged point of pure powerlessness.
-----The Heralder