Oil Firms, NDDC To Partner Rivers Foundation

Oil companies operating in Rivers State are to partner with the Rivers State Community Foundation in promoting the vision of achieving sustainable rural transformation in the state.

The interest was made known at the Hotel Presidential, Port Harcourt, recently during the formal launching/fund raising ceremony of the foundation.

Speaking at the event, the General Manager, Sustainable Development and Community Relations, SPDC, Mr. Tony Attah said the vision of the Rivers State Community Foundation (RSCF) was similar with that of SPDC, and emphasised the need for a strong partnership between the two corporate organisations to achieve desirable objectives in sustainable rural transformation.

Mr. Attah said that SPDC was already doing well in community development and capacity building through its Global Memorandum of Understanding (GMoU), adding that the collaborative initiative will help in promoting a holistic approach toward integrated community development.

Also speaking, Mr. John Addeh, who represented the managing director of Total Nigeria Limited, described the Rivers Community Foundation as a beacon of hope for the development of Rivers State and the entire Niger Delta.

Mr. Addeh said Total had demonstrated intense commitment to integrated community development through its Egi example.

He added that the company had experiences to share in best practices in terms of community development.

Mr. Addeh further pledged the co-operation of Total with the Rivers State Community Foundation through collaborative ventures.

In his remarks, the Rivers State representative on the board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Mr. Emmanuel Georgewill commended the foundation over its sound vision and strategic approach towards community development.

Mr. Georgewill assured that the NDDC will work with the foundation through shared data and knowledge to actualise the objective of integrated rural transformation in the Niger Delta.

According to the Rivers NDDC rep, the regional Masterplan of the commission remains a cardinal focus of transforming the Niger Delta through infrastructural development and capacity building.

He said the foundation was a World Bank initiative intended to promote development initiatives in the state, and assured that the proceeds from the launching will be judiciously used for the betterment of the people.

Beemene Taneh