• Friday, March 29, 2024
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NPDC donates 150 tricycles to host communities

Delta to fine commercial tricycles plying highways N20,000

As part of efforts to economically empower the locals, the management of the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC) has donated 150 tricycles to OML 40 host communities in Delta State.

The subsidiary of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) had also recently donated educational materials to some communities in Edo State.

The latest donation to the Delta communities, according to NPDC, is in partnership with Elcrest joint venture.

Mansur Sambo, managing director of the company, represented by Noble Imabibo, acting manager, community relations, NPDC Warri field office, said the initiative was geared towards ameliorating the hardship faced by the people of the communities.

Sambo assured that the company would continue to leverage on the prevailing peaceful atmosphere in the area to further improve its corporate social responsibility (CSR) and bring development to the host communities.

“This gesture is also geared towards curbing youth restiveness. NPDC is a friend to the communities where it operates, we are partners in progress and we share common bond towards sustaining the existing mutual relationship,” he said.

Sambo, however, urged the beneficiaries to utilise the empowerment judiciously and to the best of their ability to better their lots and that of their families.

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He also advised them to eschew all forms of violence, radicalism and actions capable of creating unrest. He assured that the tricycles would be shared equitably among the communities.

The manager, community relations and security, Elcrest JV, Frances Omanruaye commended the community for maintaining the peace.

“We want to say thank you all because we have achieved the level of peace we needed to do our job. I know that there are huge expectations from us, but this is just a token to show our appreciation. We pray that this peace will be sustained so that we can touch more lives. We are still drilling and producing, we crave for more cooperation and understanding from you, your cooperation will enable us do more’, she added.

Also speaking, Obogun Aziboro, the secretary of Tsekelewu community thanked NPDC/Elcrest JV for the gesture.

Aziboro noted that the gesture would reduce youth restiveness and enhance the mutual relationship between NPDC/Elcrest JV and its host communities.

On his part, Jeffrey Wilkie, the secretary of Tebu community commended the oil firm for the tricycles which he said will empower unemployed youth in the communities.

“We appreciate your efforts at reducing poverty in our communities, if all cooperate organisations in the state are doing things like this, the rate of unemployment would have reduced,” he said.