OML26: Community development board empowers youths, women of host communities

By Kelvin Ohoror

Hope and joy came to youths and women of Oil producing communities under OML 26 as the beneficiaries were empowered with various starter packs and grants worth millions of naira and market money.

The starter packs are; sewing machines, hair dryers, welding machines, deep freezers, laptops and photocopy machines, generators, barbing saloon equipment, grinding machines, etc.

The beneficiaries which were drawn from host communities under Isoko South, Isoko North, Ughelli North and Ndokwa East government areas of Delta State respectively smiled home with Starter packs 254, Grants 128, Market money 151, totaling 533 beneficiaries.

 Delivering his welcome address, the Chairman of OML 26 Community Development Board (CDB), Prince Johnson Akpomalue, commended the management of NPDC/FHN26 AMT Joint Ventures for keeping to their promised by paying all outstanding GMOU fund as soon as possible.

He stated that the 3rd edition of the Capacity building Man Power Training/ Empowerment programme is targeted to enlighten and empower the beneficiaries which includes; students in secondary schools, tertiary institutions, market women and artisans that have learnt various trades including agricultures on how to manage their various trades.

According to the CDB chairman Prince Akpomalue, "Since inception of this CRC/CDB, this body has empowered in all a total of 1,146 beneficiaries as follows: Starter packs 672, Grants 323, Market money 151. This programme is financed with allocation from the OML 26 2017/2018 and first half of 2019 GMOU fund."

On his part, the Community Affair's Manager Assets Management Team (AMT), Mr Blessyn Okpowo, expressed satisfaction over the level of transparency exhibited by the CDB members in ensuring that they managed the resources given to them by the company judiciously.

He posited that, "NPDC/FHN26 AMT Joint Ventures are putting measures in place to fulfill the earlier promises made to host communities under OML 26 by providing constant power supply to them, by December this year noting that the first phase will be completed and commissioned."

Furthermore, he said, turbines that will generate the electricity through the conversion of gas in the area has been provided even as 30 hectares of land has also been donated by Okpaile community for the take-off of the electricity project, adding that, the Ellu community promised to donate 85 hectares of land for the propose industrial park by NPDC/FHN26 AMT Joint Venture.

Mr Okpowo while appealing to Aboh traditional ruler and the entire indigenes of Aboh to ensure that the community give enabling environment to the company in its operations in order for the company to fulfill its GMOU to the host community, he advised the beneficiaries not to sell the Starters packs given to them, adding that, "By the next empowerment programme, the company will give 100,000 to 10 beneficiaries who establish their various trades in order for them to expand their business."

Some of the Communities President Generals while speaking with newsmen, they had commended the Company and the CDB members over the empowerment programme, assuring the CDB members and the company that monitoring teams will be set up by the various communities to ensure that the beneficiaries put what they received into use.

Highlights of the third edition, Women and Youth Empowerment/Capacity Building Programme was two lectures delivered by guest lecturers with topics; "Nigeria at a Cross Road: Entrepreneurship the way out" by Dr Kelvin Egberi and "The need for Entrepreneurship in Record keeping and Time budgeting" by Mrs. Eloho Osevwe-Okoroyibo. As well as the distribution of the Starters packs to each of the beneficiaries.