Port Harcourt - The committee on employment generation of the Rivers State House of Assembly, has condemned ‘’gross violation’ of the state’s employment law by companies operating in the state.

The committee made the condemnation today in Port Harcourt while submitting its report to the House.

Its Chairman, Mr. Nnamdi Ihute (Oyigbo constituency), said the committee found that most companies flouted the law because their human resources managers were not indigenes of the state.

It will be recalled that following persistent complaints alleging non-compliance with the law, the Assembly mandated the committee to look into the matter.

The chairman said the committee also discovered the existence of a syndicate, which specialised in selling forged local government identification letters to non- indigenes to enable them secure jobs meant for indigenes.

He said some companies operating in the state refused to erect sign posts to prevent job seekers from trooping there to look for jobs.

Ihute stated that most of the companies also engaged contractors from outside the state instead of indigenes.

He called on the state government to disband all the community employment bureaus which, he said, were working at cross purposes with the state Ministry of Employment Generation.

The chairman urged the Assembly to amend the employment law to make it more effective.
He further called on the House to direct all the local government councils to put seals on their identification letters.

Ihute, who said all companies should be compelled to put sign posts for easy identification, urged the state government to severe relations with all erring organisations.

He also appealed to the House to take stern measures against erring companies to ensure full compliance with the law.

The Speaker of the House, Mr. Tonye Harry, adjourned sitting to Sept. 10 for the debate of the report.