Presco’s N40m electricity project for Edo community applauded

Presco Plc has funded a N40million electricity project at Ogbekpen Community in Ikpoba Okha Local Government Area of Edo state. This gesture by the country’s foremost palm oil producers was commended by Godwin Obaseki, Governor of Edo State.

The project is part of the company’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CRS) and has ignited immense excitement in the community.

Inaugurating the project, Obaseki was full of praise for the company’s gesture, noting that partnership between the private sector and rural communities was necessary to drive development in the state.

“Ogbekpen is now a priority community for us because we want to reposition Edo State,” Obaseki said.

The Governor also used the opportunity to commend the 3.5km road opened up by Presco Plc in the community, promising to begin construction of the road and build a primary school in the community, as well as train 20 selected people to teach in the school before the commencement of the next academic session in September.

Obaseki also announced that contract has been awarded to asphalts the road to connect the community to other parts of Benin City and neighboring communities to pass through Ogbekpen and the Rubber Research Institute of Nigeria at Iyanomor.

The Governor admonished the people of Ogbekpen, particularly the youths to protect the facility provided by Presco by reporting any suspicious strangers to the elders.

Earlier in his welcome address, Felix Nwabuko, managing director of Presco thanked the Governor for finding time to come and commission the project which is one of the many projects executed by Presco Plc as part of its corporate social responsibility to its host communities.

Nwabuko said: “Presco Plc  was honoured to emerge as the winner of Nigeria Agriculture Award’s Corporate Social Responsibility agriculture award for two years covering 2016 and 2017”.

He assured the Governor of the company’s continued partnership through massive expansion of its investment in Edo State.

According to Obaseki, what Presco has done “defines how government, the private sector and our rural communities can cooperate. The responsibility of development is not only that of government, it is a partnership between the communities themselves, government, both local and the private sector.”

 

 Josephine Okojie