Host community stakeholders of OML-58 operated by Total E&P Nigeria Limited smiled away last December as they looked forward to another planting season. The oil company which has carved a name for supporting host communities in sustainable economic activities especially in agriculture distributed over 1000 tubers of yam and fowls to them. The distribution of the farm produce took place at Egi Civic Center, Ogba-egbemaNdonj LGA of Rivers State.
Businessday gathered that the fowls and yam tubers were produced at Total’s demonstration farms in Egi Land. In his address at the event, the General Manager, Community Affairs and Development, Obinna Ofoezie, who was represented by the Deputy General Manager, Corporate Affairs Department (CAD) of Total, Okechukwu Obara, said the farm produce was being distributed on behalf of the NNPC/TEPNG Joint Venture operations in Egi Land.
He said: “As you are aware, Total E&P Nigeria Limited, the operating partner of the NNPC/ TEPNG Joint Venture, has consistently supported the FG of Nigeria in programmes aimed at sustainable development of host communities.
“Evidently, covid-19 pandemic has demonstrated to all of us that food and medication remain the most essential needs of every human being. Our Enterprise Development Unit has continued to support agricultural development programmes with the potential of creating wealth for interested individuals and groups within the host communities.
He listed the demonstration rice farm at Oboburu, the animal feed production and other micro-credit, agricultural and entrepreneurial skills training and assistance as some of the dividends of Total’s agricultural development Policy for Egi Land.
He thanked the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, who was represented by the state commissioner for agriculture and Fred Kpakol, and the assistant director of CBN on agriculture in Rivers State, Augustina Osuya, for showing interest in Total’s agricultural development program in its host communities.
The agric commissioner, Fred Kpakol, who represented the state governor commended Total for its agricultural development programmes that are helping to diversify the Nigerian economy that is dependent on oil. He noted that global attention has shifted to agriculture, especially since the outbreak of covid-19.
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Kpakol added: “Nigeria has a monolithic economy that is based on oil, but the price of oil is now going down, especially because of covid-19. Now the attention of the whole world has shifted to agriculture. That is why the Rivers State Government made a provision of 16 per cent of this year’s budget for agriculture.
He said Total has deflated the notion that the soil of the oil region is now infertile due to oil drilling. He said; ‘These yam tubers here are from here. So let’s encourage our people to maintain law and order and allow peace to reign,” he said.
He assured that the Rivers State Government would partner with Total in the area of agricultural development in its host communities.
CBN’S assistant director of agriculture in Rivers State, Augustina Osuya, also hailed Total E&P’S agricultural development initiatives in its host communities, pointing out that more effort should be put into the production of rice and maize which she said were on high demand.
She went on: “My reason for being here is because CBN wants to partner with Total. If they clear the land for farming, we will then come in. Farming is no longer for the poor or the uneducated. So, we should not look down on it. Farming is now for the big boys and the graduates. Farming has been mechanized, so the youths should not be afraid of going into it. CBN is ready to work with the farmers,” she said.
She warned the youths of the region to shift their focus away from bunkering and illegal refining of crude oil and engage in agriculture. According to her, the CBN’S anchor borrowers programme is one of the apex bank’s agricultural development initiative meant to assist Nigerian farmers, hence the need for Egi farmers to key into Total E&P’S agricultural programmes.
In his comments, a high chief, Orikoha Shedrach, who represented the Egi King, lauded Total’s agricultural programmes for Egi communities. He likened the cordial relationship between Egi and Total to that of a father and his child and appealed that it should be sustained.
The representative of the Egi People’s Assembly, in his goodwill message, applauded Total for having Egi people at heart at all times. He called on his people to wake up and take advantage of the company’s agricultural development initiatives, assuring that formation of cooperatives in Egi Land would commence without delay to enable them access CBN’S agricultural development packages.
The chairperson of Egi Women Association, Chioma Uwesi, also lauded Total’s agricultural programmes in Egi Land. She ascribed much of the success of Egi Kingdom to the company, stressing: “80 percent of Egi’s success comes from Total.”
The representative of Egi Oil and Gas association, in her own submission, expressed surprise that big yam tubers could be grown in Egi Land.
She said: “If somebody had told me that these yam tubers could be produced here, I wouldn’t have believed it.”
The representative of the Joint CDC, in his remark a thanked Total for it’s good gesture, adding that if other oil companies were doing like Total, Egi would have been more developed.
One of the beneficiaries of Total’s agricultural largesse, a young man from one of the families that own the farm lands, while speaking with Businessday, heaped praises on Total for its gesture. He said: “I’m over- happy with this gift from Total. I didn’t believe it will be a reality. Look at these big yam tubers they want to give us today. See the fowls there. They’re all produced here and I am happy that they said they will give to us the land owners first. That is very fair. God bless Total.”
Business Day reports that before the distribution of the agricultural produce at the Egi Civic Center, the Total team visited the Oboburu Rice Farm, a portion of which is currently being harvested. The special rice is said to mature after 90 days, making it possible to plant it up to four times in a year. According to the manager of the rice farm, the project has consumed N8 million and will yield at least N7 million profit.
The team also visited the banana, plantain, fish, and maggot farms. The operator of the farm who only gave his name as Kingsley thanked Total for its support that is contributing to the success of the project.
