Nembe City cluster in Bayelsa State has emerged as the winner of this year’s Best GMoU cluster award organised by Shell Petroleum Development Company Limited (SPDC) for GMoU Clusters in Rivers and Bayelsa States, beating 18 clusters assessed out of 33 clusters in the two states, and clinched the star prize of N20million and three Cradle-to-Career scholarships in high-brow secondary schools.

Okordia cluster also from Bayelsa State won the second prize of N10mliion and two Cradle-to-Career scholarships in high-brow secondary schools while Ikwerre cluster came third and went home with a cash award of N5million and one Cradle-to-Career scholarships in high-brow secondary schools.

Speaking at the ceremony, SPDC’s General Manager, Sustainable Development and Community Relations,  Nedo Osayande , said the award was designed to appraise the level of success of the GMoU strategy, and also to motivate the various clusters to work harder for the sustainability of the programme.

He disclosed that the company adopted best global practices and engaged independent assessors and valuators to ensure a level playing field and transparency in the selection process, adding that the result was an objective assessment of the clusters’ performance.

Osayande, said the performance evaluation was based on five indicators namely: transparency or openness of the clusters in financial dealings such as the process of contract awards; inclusiveness and participation by all stakeholders, including consultations with interest groups such as youths, men, women and vulnerable groups on the benefits of the planned project.

Others are governance principles, including communication and inter-relationship between the clusters and stakeholders; the business climate with SPDC and other potential partners and business interests, and lastly sustainability, which includes the capacity of the clusters to survive even without further support by SPDC.

In his remarks, the guest of honour and retired Supreme Court justice, Justice Adolphus Karibi-Whyte, lauded SPDC for its effort in developing host communities, especially its GMoU policy, and urged those involved to demonstrate a positive disposition towards sustainability of the benefit of the communities and the company.

The Vice Chairman of Nembe Cluster, Mrs Molly Benson Isere, who represented the Chairman, Chief Young Dede, commended SPDC for supporting communities through the GMoU clusters, and added that Nembe cluster has undertaken various projects, including building a park and providing vehicles for youths to run taxi service and check youth restiveness in the area.

Isere also revealed that the cluster had been able to attract the partnership of international organisations such as the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), stating that the cluster had received a grant of $90,000 already from the agency.

Alpheaus Paul-Worika