Mkpoikana Udoma
15 December 2017, Sweetcrude, Port Harcourt — A total of 3000 residents of Eleme Local Government Area in Rivers State, on Thursday, benefited from a free medical outreach organised by the Port Harcourt Refining Company Limited, PHRC as part of its corporate social responsibility.
The two-day medical outreach which took place on Wednesday and Thursday in Ogale, the headquarters of Eleme, took care of free medical diagnosis, free dispensing of drugs and treated glasses for patients.
Speaking at the event, the Managing Director, PHRC, Mr. Shehu Malami, disclosed that 3000 persons down with different ailments have benefitted, adding that PHRC has in its CSR to the people done many other meaningful projects and more projects would be sited in the area soon.
Malami pleaded with the community to always channel their grievances with the company to the appropriate quarters for a peaceful resolution.
Malami, who was represented by the Manager in charge of Administration, Mr. Martins Toluhi, pleaded with indigenes of its Eleme host communities to help in protecting her oil installations in their area.
He noted that destruction of the companies’ facilities endangers the health of the people of the community, emphasising on the need for such installations that carries the nation’s source of wealth, to be protected.
“Host communities should ensure that oil and gas installations in their locality are protected to guarantee the safety of their environment; this is has been working and should be sustained.
“We call on our host communities to continue on the part of peace and negotiation using the Joint Community Relations Committee platform to resolve whatever differences of issues that may arise in the course of our relationship.
“We encourage you to share information and concerns with us in a form that fosters the good and cordial relationship already existing between us.”
For their part, the people of Eleme commended the management of PHRC for the two-day medical outreach in the area, saying it would meet their health challenges occasioned by oil impacts in the area.
Speaking, the Staff Bearer of Ogale community, Chief Aki Oluka, said that years of oil pollution in Ogoni has left many residents with a different health challenge.
Oluka stated that it was in the UNEP report on Ogoni that health of the people would be affected by the devastation, but express worries that after the report the much needed medical attention has not been provided.
