UPDATED: OML 34: NPDC/NDWestern JV Dole Out N25m Food Aid To Host Communities In Delta

Operators of Oil Mining Licence (OML 34), Nigeria Petroleum Development Company/NDWestern Asset Management Team (AMT) Joint Venture, on Saturday rolled out tens of hundreds of food items worth N25 million to its host communities in Delta state.

This was in addition to its support to the Delta state Government Task Force on coronavirus (COVID-19).

Recalls that Governor Ifeanyi Okowa had in April 1, in a bid to contain the spread of COVID-19, declared a lockdown in the state.

The food items which are to be distributed to 33 communities in Ughelli South and Udu Council Areas were officially handed over at Otu-Jeremi, Ughelli South Council Area on Saturday.

The items stored at the palace of the monarch in Otu-jeremi were handed over by the NDWestern’s Chief Operating Officer, COO, Chief Edirin Abamwa, represented by Mr. Sheidu Aiguedo, Manager, Government/Community Relations and Security.

They comprises 350 bags of rice, 350 bags of bean and 350 bags of garri among other items.

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NPDC/NDWestern says since the lockdown, the welfare of its host communities has been paramount hence the decision to order for the items that would help complement the state government effort to provide food for the indigent people.

Presenting the items, Aiguedo, said that the gesture was part of its corporate social responsibility to its host communities at this critical time.

He said that the gesture was tailored to cushion the effect of the hardship indigent members of the host communities would be facing while observing the COVID-19 lockdown order.

While advising leadership of host communities to ensure the people adhere to all COVID-19 regulations so as not to further spread the virus, he said that NPDC/NDWestern, is desirous to ensure residents comply with the state government order to stay at home without having room for excuses.

“Prior to this time both the NPDC/NDWestern has made enormous contributions to the government of Delta state in preparation to this COVID-19 pandemic.

“The whole idea is to help the government in its preparation should there be any outbreak in the state. Today, we are aware the government has recorded four cases and the good thing is that the government has a level of preparedness, courtesy of our own gesture to them.

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“There is a lockdown and we know the government also need support to reach out to the populace so what informed this gesture is to help alleviate the suffering of the people during this period.

“By this laudable gesture what we are doing is to ensure that we reach the people with all these food that you are seeing here today. The food you are seeing today will go to about 30 communities that cuts across three local government areas”.

He said that the company was more concern at this critical time about helping to alleviate the suffering of the people than any profit they would be making.

“We are not after profit now, our focus is to save our people as part of our corporate social responsibility. We need to stay alive, and health, safety is one of our cardinal objectives so we want to appeal to our people to continue to heed to the government regulations to stay at home.

“So as a company, as part of our social corporate responsibility, that is what we are doing. We are showing love at the Federal, State, Local and community level.”

Receiving the items on behalf of the communities, the monarch of Ughievwen Kingdom, HRM Matthew Ediri Egbi, the Owhawha 11, commended NPDC/NDWestern for the kind gesture assuring that the items will be equitably distributed among all the communities.

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He said that the items that would also go to communities in Warri South Council Area, are worth over N25 millions.