Our idea is to create centres of wealth not pockets of rich youths – Belemaoil founder

A new project is on to show the right way to do business in the Niger Delta with peace of mind and how to prospect in oil and gas without blood and tears. The company leading in this experiment, Belemaoil Company Limited, showed the model to the Canadian Deputy High Commissioner, James Christoff, and his team, on Thursday, October 5, 2017, at their headquarters in Port Harcourt.
The founder/chairman, Jack-Rich Tein (Junior), while playing host to the Canadian team, revealed how he walks about up to night in his operational areas in the creeks without fear. He said it is because the youth of the Niger Delta have been pressed to look like monsters after 40 years of oil business in a wrong way.
Tein Jnr, who took the visitors and very important personalities to the swamp area of Port Harcourt, stated thus: “We have been developing this swamp area in Port Harcourt in anticipation of what is happening today (oil license). The next time you may visit us, it may be a huge complex.”
He shocked his expatriate guests thus: “I am always here all the time, even up to 9 o’clock at night without the army behind me. I walk freely, motivating the guys. There will be no attacks if you work with the right approach.”
On Nigeria he said; “Nigeria is a great country, in size, in population and in drive (energy).
All we need is the formula to combine these assets and hit it great”.
During his welcome speech in the main head office along Peter Odili Road, Tein said; “We are just starting. You do not preach morality to a hungry child, you provide food. You do not preach to an angry region, provide jobs. The vision behind Belemaoil is beyond making profit for the shareholders but to provide for the communities. Our community projects are no window dressing but to go straight to the heart of their problems because we are from there and we know where it pains them most. There are communities without water for over 600 years of existence. Now, it’s their first time to see potable water, clean water to drink, or road to drive on.”
He went on: “We have engaged 1500 locals, and we are training more people. There are many scholarships too especially when the state marked 50 years. We have chosen Canada for scholarship destination. The reason is to ensure that they come back with ability to create wealth and jobs for others. Our idea is not to create pockets of rich youths but centres of wealth to spread to others.
“You are here and you see the state is calm. Yes, there are challenges but Rivers is a great state. We are here to demonstrate that Niger Delta youths are friendly people. Until we change the way we do business since the past 40 years and make the youths as important strategic partners, we will be making a mistake. The youths of the region are smart and intelligent. They want to put food on the table, that is all.
“They say Rivers State is not possible for investment and business, they even told me so, but you can see that it is no true. This is an important and great state. I was with the governor last night he always has great passion for this state and for the youths in particular.
“We want you (deputy High Commissioner) to lead Canadian business men and investors to Rivers State. This is our headquarters. We plan to build such centres in the communities to act as business hubs and training centres and points of contact with oil management. From these centres, we will go into manufacturing and diversification.
We thank the Muhammadu Buhari government.”
In his response, the seemingly impressed Canadian official said he was in Belema to see things for himself and that he would report his findings and hope to come again to explore partnership avenues.

 

Ignatius Chukwu