Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — Akwa Ibom State Governor, Mr Udom Emmanuel, on Tuesday, sued for a more mutually beneficial relationship between ExxonMobil, the host communities and the state government.
The Governor during a meeting among the state government, management of Mobil Producing Nigeria and leaders of Mobil’s host communities in the state, stressed the need for the company to strengthen its relationship with her publics.
The tripartite meeting which held at Qua Iboe Terminal, in Ibeno, Ibeno Local Government Area of the state, had in attendance the Executive Chairman of ExxonMobil Nigeria Unlimited, Mr Paul McGrath; Vice Chairman, ExxonMobil, Mr Udom Inoyo; Paramount Ruler of Ibeno, HRH Owong Effiong Achianga; Chairman of ALGON in Akwa Ibom, Mr. Frank Archibong.
Speaking, Governor Udom said his visit to the company was aimed to strengthen a corporate relationship and chart a course for more involvement of stakeholders in community projects initiated by the oil firm.
“My visit here is a means of interaction, collaboration and partnership that we need one another. The government needs ExxonMobil, ExxonMobil also needs government; that’s the essence of the visit. It is that essence of collaboration that made this meeting possible.
“We have decided that we will see a way to have that cordial working relationship between not just government and ExxonMobil, but including the host communities as well and even the staff, so we look at the welfare of everybody.”
Governor Emmanuel commended the management of ExxonMobil and the host communities for their peaceful co-existence and called for sustained peace in the area.
Earlier, the Chairman and Managing Director of ExxonMobil Nigeria Unlimited, Mr. Paul McGrath, thanked the governor for the visit and for initiating the interaction between the management of the company, the state government and the host communities.
McGrath said the meeting has been long wished as a good start-off for the company and its host communities for the year 2020.
Also speaking, the Senior Manager, Security External Relations, Mobil, Mr. Ide Owodiong-Idemeko, commended Governor Udom Emmanuel, for providing an enabling environment for the oil multinationals to operate in the state.
Owodiong-Idemeko added that the peace and security maintained has been a great boost to the company’s success and advocated for dialogue in settlement of dispute that may arise between the company and the host communities.