The Nigerian Gas Marketing Company (NGMC), a subsidiary of Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), has inaugurated a skilled acquisition programme to train 40 women from its host communities in Delta and Edo states.
Johnson Ezeala, managing director, NGMC said the training of the women in various vocations, was part of NGMC’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives to its host communities while charging participants not to sell their starter packs at the end of the exercise.
The managing director who spoke at the inauguration ceremony in Effurun, Uvwie Local Government Area of Delta State, stated that NGMC will always encourage and appreciate communities that promote peace, dialogue, and understanding in the resolution of any issue, adding that the initiative is the hallmark of our community relations engagement process.
Represented by Sani Kabo, general manager -services, NAPIMS, Ezeala noted that NGMC, as a responsible and responsive company, will remain committed to developing a robust and sustainable relationship with its host communities.
He added that the wellbeing of its host communities is paramount and forms part of its CSR thrust, just as he appealed to all the beneficiaries representing the various communities to maximize the opportunity of the programme.
“On our part as a Company, we shall continue to solicit for your co-operation and assistance in the maintenance of peace and support for our business growth aspirations, in the interest of the people in your communities and Nigerians.
“As a gas marketing company with a vision to support the economic growth of Nigeria, our network of gas pipelines extends to over 540 km with metering stations located in six states of the federation. What this indicates, is that our pipelines and facilities transverse over 120 host communities across the vast areas of the country,” he said.
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“The beneficiaries who were carefully nominated by executives of their host communities shall undergo intensive three-week training in catering, tailoring/fashion design, hairdressing, make-up/pedicure/manicure/gele, tying and computer/desktop publishing.”
“At the end of the exercise, the trainees shall be handed over starter packs and take-off grants to enable them to become self-employed and future employers of labour.”
“We believe that when a woman is empowered, the home will be stable. We, therefore, enjoin all participants to make good use of the opportunity and acquire the skill which they have enrolled for,” the MD said.
The group general manager, group public affairs Division, NNPC, who was represented by Doris Ohia, manger-community impact investment, CSR Department, NNPC, advised the beneficiaries to make good use of the starter packs that would be given to them after the conclusion of the programme.
He lamented the situation whereby beneficiaries of such programmes in the past sell their starter packs, just as he appealed to this set of beneficiaries not to toe that line.
The Consultant to the programme, Chief Executive Officer of Dubi Trust Ventures, Bernard Emekpe, commended the management of NNPC and NGMC for the programme.
He said the training will afford the beneficiaries the opportunity to become employers of labour after the rigorous training they will be subjected to in the next three weeks.
Two beneficiaries of the programme, Gloria Onuane from Ekpan community in Delta and Augustina Emokhare, from Edo community, who spoke on behalf of the other beneficiaries, promised to make judicious use of the opportunity.
Edeki Sunday, chairman community relation committee, Ekpan, Freeborn Pezu, vice president, Ujevwu community, and Kingsley Tonukarin, in their different addresses, thanked NNPC and NGMC for giving their women the opportunities to be trained in various skills.
