●flags-off 600 solar powered street lights, skills acquisition training
The NNPC/MPN JV EMOIMEE Host Community Development Trust has donated three ambulance vehicles to communities in Eastern Obolo LGA of Akwa Ibom State.
The Trust, during a ceremony at the Obolo Hall at Okoroete, on Wednesday, August 28, also flagged-off installation of 600 solar powered street lights, as well as skills acquisition training in the Oil and Gas sector to youths of the area.
Delivering a welcome address during the event, the BoT Members representing Eastern Obolo at the EMOIMEE HCDT, Sir Hon. Aboh Uduyok and Mrs Lily Evans John described the event as historic.
Aboh Uduyok and Lily John noted that the donation of three ambulances, 600 street lights and training of 50 youths in the Oil and Gas sector, were significant because apart from being their first public event, since the inauguration of the EMOIMEE HCDT in July 2023, the gesture would improve the chances of youth employment in the maritime industry.
Uduyok and John maintained that the Trust, having been incorporated by ExxonMobil, prior to the promulgation of the Petroleum Industry Act, PIA, in 2021, has the task of providing “direct economic benefits from petroleum operations, thereby fostering sustainable prosperity within the host communities.”
Acknowledging the “fervent contributions of the Management Committee Member, Nango D. Nango Esq, and the Advisory Committee Member, Mr Stephen Enoch Tiligbor”, the board members said their collaborative spirit have made their efforts seamless.
The address reads in parts, “The Trust has awarded scholarships worth N400,000 each to 237 sons and daughters of the area studying in various tertiary institutions, and N150,000 worth of scholarship each to 143 secondary school students of the area.
“In no distant time, the community will take delivery of a speedboat to ease the movement of people in an out of the riverine communities of the area.
“The projects you have seen and will see in the future are not entirely our selection, but the result of what you proposed in your 5-Year Development Plan that was facilitated by the Settlor, ExxonMobil prior to the incorporation of the Trust.”
Uduyok and John listed the skills areas to include: Pipe Fittings, Rigging, Quality Assurance, Electrical Installation & Maintenance, Scaffolding, Welding & Fabrication and Sandblasting.
Alternate Chairman of the Board, Engr. Clinton Akpan (BoT Member, Onna), while speaking on behalf of the Chairman, Sen. Helen Esuene, said the Eastern Obolo team have shown capacity in packaging the development issues for which they were gathered.
He emphasised the need for proper maintenance of facilities, adding that scholarships and skills acquisition programmes are essential to ensure provision of sufficient manpower for the growth and development of communities.
On his part, Dr. Linus Okon, Chairman of the Management Committee, commended the Obolo Team for adopting a key management strategy in using one stone to kill three birds.
Dr. Okon called for a sustainability plan for the items provided to be well managed and maintained.
The Transition Committee Chairman of Eastern Obolo LGA, Rt Hon Uro Bills Nango thanked EMOIMEE for the kind gesture, saying the training will offer manpower development of the area. He called for the youths to maintain and neither vandalise nor steal the facilities provided.
In his remark, the Paramount Ruler of Eastern Obolo, HRM Ubong Harry Etetor, commended the federal government for providing the opportunity for the Trust to be inaugurated.
The Paramount Ruler condemned the youths of the LGA who go about vandalising public utilities, reminding them that God has seen them and that nobody plants a seed during seed time to get something different during harvest.
Meanwhile, the Director of Primary Health Centre, Mrs Atim Ulo appreciated the Trust for the ambulances, saying the gesture would help save lives, as they would be effectively put to use.
High points of the event was the presentation of the ambulance keys to heads of Amadaka Health Centre, Okorote Health Centre and Iko Health Centre.
Similarly, the 600 solar powered street light project is sitted in Kanpa, Elile, Amadaka, Okoriti, Iko, Atabrikang, Edonwik, Iwofe and Isi-Otoyo villages.
The event was attended by EMOIMEE committees, the political class from Eastern Obolo, members of the traditional institution, among others.
