The 10 Self Contains on Going Project in Ogbe-Uzu Community
By Emmanuel Enebeli
OBIARUKU/Nigeria: The Platform Petroleum Limited, the operators of the oil facilities in Umutu/Ebedei communities in Ukwuani Local Government Area, Delta State, has declared their intention to continuously work with the people to ensure proper development of the area.
This assurance was given by the Base Manager of the company, Mr Godwin Alumona in a media chat with Ndokwa Reporters recently, on the efforts of the company to bring development to the oil bearing communities.
The Reclaimed Gully Erosion in Adonishaka, Reclaimed by efforts of the Company
According to him, the company through their Corporate Social Responsibilities, (CSR) has carried out numerous activities to promote the quality of lives of the people, through the provision of water projects, reclamation of gully ravaged lands, provision of accommodation, provision of town halls and meeting venues for the traditional institutions, and markets for the communities.
According to Mr Alumona, the company had over the years involved the communities to provide them with their needs, and money is always made available through their annual budgeting process to enable the communities who directly manage the funds.
“This process had been successful over the years, but we have to look at some of the projects they carry out.”
According to him, the free hand given to them to make use of the money has equally shown that the management of the funds are not properly channelled to the need of the people as they had observed.
Market Project at Akoku Efforts by the Company
To buttress this point, he complains of one of the projects that is being executed by the Ogbe-Uzu community, a 10 self contain apartments, in an obscure area, where the company felt the community does not require such project. He said however, that the community insisted on the project, which had gulped up to 20 million naira, and still not finished.
“That money should had been used to fix one or two of the roads or other urgent human needs.” He said.
The Base Manager said that for such not to repeat itself, the company is looking at the direct handling of what they may see as urgent needs of the people, as the use of the community managements to execute projects is portraying the company’s activities before the people as if they are not assisting.
Speaking on the impacted communities, he said that the law does not actually give them the direct mandate to contribute to their development, but as required they pay their statutory annual contribution to both the local government and the state.
He said with new focus of the company, there will be great improvement in the relationship between the company and the communities.
