Mkpoikana Udoma 08-May-2017-Sweetrude-Port Harcourt – All is now set for the Nigerian Agip Oil Company, NAOC, to commence the building of an Information and Communication Technology Center for two of its host communities, Obrikom and Mgbede communities in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State.
The Rivers State Commissioner of Chieftaincy and Community Affairs, Dr. John Bazia, who presided over the meeting for the signing of the Global Memorandum of Understanding, GMOU, between the management of the Italian oil giant and the communities, commended the company for moving from an MoU to a GMoU.
Bazia expressed optimism that the era where multinationals provide latrine as corporate social responsibility was over.
“Let me commend Agip for this gesture. I am happy that we have moved from MoU to GMoU. We are convinced that the GMoU would do our communities good. The template in the GMoU will fast track development in our communities.
“I want to commend you (Agip) for taking that bold step of moving from MoU to GMoU. I honestly believed that our companies are moving from what used to be the norm back in the days where one latrine is build somewhere and we say that is CSR. I am happy that IOCs here are showing understanding. This is commendable and we are asking you to do more.”
Earlier, the Coordinator, Project Implementation of NAOC, Mr. Onyemize Okechukwu, explained that the choice of building an ICT centre was conceived by the community as their immediate priority.
Okechukwu said the ICT centre would provide qualitative education for students in the communities.
“In 2015 we entered into an agreement with them (the community) as a give back project; our latest project because we are moving from MoU to GMoU and because of that, of all the pending projects in the community, we asked them to choose the one that is more important to them and they chose an ICT centre.
“The project was expected to be completed in 2015 but because of communal issues, it lingered till now. However, the issues have been fully resolved so they communicated us to come in.”
Speaking on behalf of the community, the Paramount Ruler of Egbeku Obrikom, HRH Eze Christian Uzor Nkisa, who insisted on the Commissioner to read out the content of of GMoU, also commended the Italian multinational for reaching an understanding with them.
“The project was to be completed in December 2015 but because of differences from communities it lingered till now, but after the discussion we know that Agip will come up with the write ups (agreement) but we must read and we must hear the agreement before we can sign and that is why we are here.”