01 November 2012, Sweetcrude, UGHELLI – MANAGING Director of Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria, SPDC, Mr Mutiu Sunmoni, has said that the company was not planning to pack out of Warri, Delta State.
Sunmoni, who spoke while donating relief materials, including food items and drugs worth millions of naira, to flood victims at the Oharisi Primary School, Ughelli, camp, said SPDC may have sold some of its assets, “but we are not leaving Delta State.”
Shell had earlier donated $1million to the Red Cross over the issue.
Explaining that the relief materials were meant for all the displaced persons in the state, he urged those charged with the management of the various camps to make judicious use of the items donated by the SPDC to benefit the victims. He added that SPDC was concerned about the welfare of the people of its host communities.
He said: “My mission here is to commiserate with the displaced people to show that we really care for them. These are people in different areas we operate. Delta State has been a good host to SPDC and this is an opportunity for us again to give a token back to the people of the state.”
On how the flood affected the operations of SPDC, he said: “I really do not want to talk about my operations now. What is important to me now is the welfare of displaced persons. Operations for me, at this stage, is really of secondary importance.”
Speaking further, Sunmoni described the flood disaster as not only unfortunate but a national tragedy, saying; “I am really pleased with the way different people from different walks of life in the country are rising up to the challenge.”