Okpalaume Mary, Sapele
Thirty seven youths from the Seplat host communities in Delta and Edo States were weekend presented with starter-packs and working capital each to enable them start income yielding businesses after an intensive one year skill acquisition trainee programme put together by Seplat Petroleum Development Company Plc.
The fourth batch of the skills acquisition trainees’ graduation ceremony held at the Sapele Athletic Club in Sapele Local Government Area of Delta State was part of Seplat’s capacity building programme which selects and trains participants from the company’s impact communities.
Commissioning the starter packs, the Edo State commissioner for solid minerals, oil and gas, while thanking SPDC for ameliorating the hardships of people in their host communities advised the empowered graduands to make judicious use of the opportunity offered them to better their lives and society.
Earlier in his address, General Manager, HSSE & CR of Seplat, Mr. Bryte Oghenovo Oghor, said that the company, as part of its corporate social responsibility to host communities, designed the programme to eliminate social and economic issues like joblessness, poverty, crime and restiveness in communities adding that it will also help to develope positive attitude towards work, entrepreneurial ability and build self reliant youths.
Assuring of the company’s determination to continue the programme, Oghor called for peace and cooperation among the communities saying that Seplat cannot thrive in an atmosphere of rancor.
“We shall continue to partner with communities to improve and sustain our company’s sustainable developement programmes which are aimed at delivering premium values to a. these can ony be achieved in an atmosphere of peace. to this end, we shall continue to encourage our communites to eschew bitterness and rancor and embrace peace and dialogue in resolving differences whenever the arise to create the enabling environment for the smooth operations of the company which wi enabe Seplat to provide a the required support to the communities.
The beneficiaries trained on various skills, including welding & fabrication, fashion & design, catering and computer technology were presented with certificates and starter packs including welding machines, computer sets, sewing and weaving machines, generators and catering materials.
While commending the directors and officials of the training centers for their dedication, and the graduands for taking the skill acquisition programme seriously, Oghor however urged the graduands to make effective use of the knowledge they have acquired and the starter-packs they are given.
