Tejiri Ebikeme
Kula Regional Development Committee (KRDC) under the Global Memorandum of Understanding (GMoU) with the NNPC/Chevron Joint Venture in Rivers State, on Friday October 24, 2014 commissioned 30 housing units worth over 530 million naira, executed by the RDC in Kula communities, Akuku-Toru Local Government Area of Rivers State.
The project incorporates distribution of low-tension electricity lines, reticulation of water supply, and construction of link roads/kerbstones and interlocking stones on the walkway.
Before now, the Kula RDC had executed several projects including: Construction of four (4) Housing units in Boro, Offoin-ama, Robertkiri and Luckland, Construction of Standard generator house, purchase of 500KVA generator, Potable Water Projects and electrification project in Boro community.
Representative of the Rivers State government, Chief Charles Opurum thanked the NNPC/Chevron Joint Venture for its development efforts in the State and urged other organizations to emulate the company’s social responsibility outlook.
In a good will message to the RDC, the General Manager, Policy Government and Public Affairs (PGPA), Mr. Deji Haastrup, stated that the successful completion of the projects reinforces the GMOU Community Engagement model as a vehicle for sustainable socio-economic development in communities around Chevron’s operational areas in Nigeria.
According to him, “the successes recorded in the implementation of the GMOU in Kula and in other cluster communities bordering the company’s operations in the Niger Delta region have shown that with adequate support, the communities can drive their development process.”
Mr. Haastrup described the GMoU Community Engagement model, established by the NNPC/Chevron Joint Venture in 2005, as a long-term stimulus for sustainable expansion of the economies of the communities in the Niger Delta. He also noted that the model will help provide youths of the Niger Delta with opportunities for meaningful engagement and enhance peace in the Niger Delta through constructive dialogue and respect for the Rule of Law.
He confirmed that the GMoU has continued to meet its objectives of making communities take the driver’s seat in their development and ensuring huge empowerment and capacity building opportunities come to our people.
He also noted that the NNPC/CNL Joint Venture is advancing to a new phase of the GMoU known as the GMoU+ with focus on business development and economic empowerment; third party partnership and collaboration; delivery on the Millennium Development Goals [MDGs]; Operational Excellence and Human Rights.
While restating the company’s commitment to enhancing the partnership with all the RDCs including Kula RDC, he urged the people to continue to ensure peaceful environment for business activities so that all the stakeholders will continue to benefit from NNPC/Chevron’s operations in Rivers State.
In his own remarks, the RDC chairman Mr. Stanley Benibo thanked the NNPC/CNL Joint Venture for establishing the GMoU and noted that the community engagement model has benefitted Kula communities and enhanced sustainable development of the area.
