By; PATRICK TITUS, Uyo
Mobil Producing Nigeria (MPN) Unlimited, operator of NNPC/MPN Joint Venture said it has budgeted a total of N170 million for the current round of Community Investment Programmes (CIP) in its core oil producing areas of Akwa Ibom state.
The areas are, Ibeno, Eket, Esit Eket and Onna local governments while the CIP include peace and conflict resolution workshop, clean and green environment project, community safety awareness campaign, upgrading/beautification of market stalls and community beach party.
MPN general manager, public and governmental affairs, Nigel Cookey-Gam made this known in his welcome address at the formal commencement of the programme at the weekend in Eket.
Cookey-Gam said the programme is one of the JVs several initiatives devoted to engage youth, re-orientate and inculcate virtues other than adopting confrontation as the only method of engagement.
“The JV is here for a long haul and is repositioning to deliver greater value to the community, Akwa Ibom state and Nigeria,” Cookey-Gam stated.
He urged the youth to make the best use of the programmes to better themselves now and in the future.
One of the opinion leaders in the community, Brig-Gen Anthony Etukudo (Rtd.) who served as chairman on the occasion, identified clean and green environmental programme, one of the CIP as a very important aspect of the initiative.
According to Etukudo, MPN investment in clean and green environment programme “Goes to show that Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited is responding to our call for a cleaner environment and the global alarm and concern to global warming.
He added, “It is truism that Mobil is a safety champion globally and that safety is a collective responsibility but it must be stressed that all hands must be on deck, including, members of the community to ensure a safe and conducive environment for production”.
While calling for the sustenance of the programme, he advised youth of the benefiting areas to embrace the corporate services rendered by Mobil and protect them, stressing that youth restiveness and streets protest and blocking of roads would no longer be tolerated.
The state governor, Mr. Udom Emmanuel said government will continue to partner Mobil for the development of the state, adding that dialogue remained a better option to resolve conflict.
Represented by commissioner for transport and petroleum resources, Mr. Orman Esin, the Governor commended Mobil for the bold step to ensure a peaceful working relationship with its host communities in the state.
The Governor who declared the event open, appealed to Mobil to increase its budget for community development projects in order to train and build capacity in the youth so as to change the narrative.
