‘Capacity Building Will Stop Restiveness in Niger Delta’

‘Capacity Building Will Stop Restiveness in Niger Delta’

Okon Bassey in Uyo

Indigenous oil and gas firm in Nigeria’s upstream sector, Moni Pulo Limited, has said capacity building will ameliorate the Niger Delta region’s economic challenges and reduce incidences of youth restiveness.

The Chairman/Chief Executive, Moni Pulo Petroleum Development, Mrs Seinge Lulu-Briggs made the call at a community empowerment programme for the people of Mbo and Effiat communities in Mbo local government area of Akwa Ibom State.

Lulu-Briggs spoke through the head of administration and community relations, Alabo Clifford, saying the oil firm has a passion for transforming communities and catalyst personal and community growth in sustainable manner through corporate social responsibility.

“Our passion springs from our belief that policy – level support for job creation should focus primary on capacity building.

“Therefore, the provision of an economic-enabling environment, sustainable employment, secured opportunities and capital development in Mbo LGA will remain the guiding principle for social transformation.

“Our corporate mission is to provide hope and encouragement to indigenous entrepreneurs; because when you succeed in business and life, we also succeed and the county, Nigeria,” she stated.

She said the empowerment programme provides opportunities for entrepreneurs among the beneficiaries to set up and establish businesses that will help increase the employment rate in the state and the country at large.

“Despite the socio-economic challenges that we, like everyone else had to weather, we have continued to invest in the wellbeing of our host communities through empowerment exercise and sustainable development projects.

“We have done and will continue to do this because we know that ultimately our work is about people, men, women, youth and children of Mbo and Effiat.

“As we present our brothers and sisters in Mbo and Effiat communities with equipment to start up their businesses, our belief is that livelihoods will be secured and enhanced.” Lulu-Briggs posited.

She thanks the state government, royal fathers, security operatives and indigenes of the host communities for ensuring their successful business operations.

Also speaking, the state commissioner for power and petroleum development, Dr. John Etim acknowledged that Moni Pulo has awarded scholarship to students of host communities, trained some on skill acquisition programmes and carried development projects in Mbo and Uran LGAs.

“Let me appreciate the management of Moni Pulo for being a good corporate citizen by keeping to its Corporate Social Responsibility in providing people-oriented projects in the state,” he said.

He regretted that company’s empowerment programme did not consider the rest of state thus running short of the state government’s policy of oil companies reserving at least 10 per cent of developmental programmes to communities and catchment areas.

He tasked Moni Pulo to develop a conscious plan of employing and integrating indigenes of the host communities into managerial and directorate position in the company.

The chairman, Mbo Mineral and Oil Committee, Edet Okon lauded Moni Pulo for affecting communities and youths positively through empowerment programmes.

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