Yuletide: NEPL, NDW JV Distributes Items to Host Oil Communities in Delta

Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja

The management of NNPC E&P Limited (NEPL) and ND Western Joint Venture (JV), operators of OML 34, at the weekend distributed tons of food items and drinks to the people within their operational areas in Delta state.

The distributed items comprised bags of rice, cartons of groundnut oil, salt, non-alcoholic wines and gins, as well as cash sums, to the indigenes of the host communities through their various representatives.

The event was held at the company’s Edjeba office in Warri South Local Government area of the state.

Speaking with newsmen at the the venue, the Manager, Government, Community and Security Department (GCSC), Mr. George Nwasiolo, who represented the Chief Operating Officer (COO) OML 34, Mr. Oghenekaro Oviaiti, noted that the donation was in line with company’s yearly gesture in appreciating the various host communities for their peaceful disposition to its operations.

He said: “As you are aware, we are in these communities to do business and the focus of any businessman is to make profits which can only be realised when there’s an atmosphere of peace between the company and the indigenes of these communities either as an impacted or non-impacted areas to our operations.

“What we are doing today and like we have been doing in previous years is to keep appreciating these various communities for their understanding and the peaceful atmosphere they have created for our business to grow in their areas.  And we have decided to sustain this goodwill as a way of promoting our cordial relationship.“

On the issue of feedback from indigenes since the items were usually handed over to their representatives, Mrs. Eunice Akpurhobo, NEPL/NDW OML34 Community Interface Coordinator, described the response from the various community indigenes as  exciting.

She stated: “I can tell that the community indigenes, especially the women are always happy with the gift items to their communities. Some of them look forward to it and some that access to the company have started calling since September and October to remind us of it”.

“The only thing about it is just the human factor, as most of them are always  requesting for more and that is why the company has taken it upon itself to continue to improve on what we give out on a yearly basis. And if you observe, you will also notice that what we are packaging this year is better than last year’s. So it keeps getting better.”

In their responses, the Presidents-General of Ewghekeka and Otedo communities, James Onovughe and  Kennedy Egole, respectively, expressed gratitude to the company for the kind gesture they have sustained over the years.

In all, about 36 host communities captured in various categories as field areas or impacted communities and the non-oil producing areas, mostly referred to as residential areas, benefitted from the items donated by the company.