Monarch Charges Firms On Community Dev

The Paramount Ruler and
Nyenwe-Eli of Oginigba Community in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State, Eze G. B. Odum, has called on companies operating in his domain to live up to their social responsibilities by executing development projects in the area, saying, doing so would go a long way to lift some burdens off the shoulders of the state government.
Eze Odum, who made the call recently, during an interactive forum with the companies at his palace in Port Harcourt, said it was part of the social responsibilities of the companies to identify with the development of their host communities.
He noted with regret that most of the companies operating in the area had for several years shied away from their social responsibilities, saying, however, that his recent recognition and elevation by the Rivers State Government had bestowed a fresh challenge on the companies to join hands with him and other constituted bodies in the community to move the area forward in terms of provision of development projects.
The monarch decried the poor state of the road leading to his palace, and called on the companies to do something to reverse the ugly situation, saying, living up to their social responsibilities would go a long way to foster cordial and harmonious working relationship between the companies and the community.
He also appealed to the companies to contribute meaningfully in checking youth unemployment in the area, stressing that allocating special slots or quota to Oginigba indigenes by the companies during recruitment exercises would be highly appreciated by the community.
Eze Odum explained that the interactive forum was intended to bring the companies and the Paramount Ruler closer for better understanding, and urged managers of companies in the area to steer clear of communal politics, as, according to him, meddling in the community’s politics by the companies would ultimately distance them from constituted authorities and leave them at the mercy of disgruntled youths and charlatans.
Companies that attended the forum included CETCO, Baker Hughes, Indomie, Pabod Breweries, Solar Turbine, Nigeria Bottling Company and Eterna Oil, among others.