Mkpoikana Udoma
16 August 2017, Sweetcrude, Port Harcourt – Nigeria has the second largest concentration of social investment spending in the Shell Group, the company has said.
Speaking during an interaction with newsmen in Port Harcourt, General Manger, Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria, SPDC, Mr. Igo Weli, said this was evident from the contribution the company has made in social investment in the country.
He said Shell contributed $29 billion to the economic growth of Nigeria between the year 2012 and 2016.
The Dutch multinational has additionally made the sum of $7 billion available for Cluster Development Boards for development projects of host communities’ choice in the Niger Delta under the General Memorandum of Understanding, GMoU, programme.
“Collectively, Nigeria has the second largest concentration of social investment spending in the Shell Group. The SPDC JV partners have contributed $29billion to the economic growth of Nigeria between 2012–2016.
“SPDC JV is currently supporting the various GMoU Cluster Development Boards and mentoring NGOs to deploy a total of N7 billion for development projects of host communities’ choice in the Niger Delta under the GMoU programme,” Weli said.
He said SPDC’s social investment activities focus on community and enterprise development, education, health, access-to-energy and road safety.
Weli explained that despite the challenging environment, the SPDC JV set aside more than N600 million for a five-year period beginning 2014 for development initiatives at Kula and the satellite communities of Belema, Offoinama and Bom.
“SPDC JV has also invested over N352 million in Improvement of school infrastructure, sanitation and health outreach programmes, construction of walkway for the community and electricity supply in Kula Kingdom in the past 10 years,” he said.
Reacting to allegations that the company has not met up its corporate responsibilities and the occupation of its flow station and gas facility by some youths, the SPDC chief said it was not true that Shell has not done anything for Belema and Offoinama communities in Akuku Toru Local Government Area of Rivers State.
Weli urged people to follow due process in venting their grievances, adding that they should occupy a gas facility and endanger their lives, as he said such agitation makes the Niger Delta region look like a society that is not ready for development.
