Mkpoikana Udoma
14 November 2018, Sweetcrude, Port Harcourt — Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, has said that part of the crisis bedeviling the Niger Delta is the refusal of multinational companies to encourage host communities with key appointments.
Governor Wike, speaking during a courtesy visit by the leadership of the Nigerian Bottling Company, NBC, said local content participation is key to harmony and sustained development.
He urged multinationals operating in the state as well as the NBC to encourage Rivers people through local content participation.
“Part of the crisis in the Niger Delta is that some companies relegate the people of the area in the allocation of management positions.
“The ugly situation should be checked to stop avoidable conflicts as noticed in the relationship between Shell and some host communities,” the governor said.
He, however, expressed satisfaction that the NBC is expanding her operations in Rivers State, adding that the documents for the land acquired by NBC for their expansion will be granted by his administration.
“This expansion will create more employment and internally generated revenue. This state is peaceful for investments,” he said.
Earlier, the Chairman, Board of Directors of the Nigerian Bottling Company, Mr. Segun Apata, said the company is working towards building a mega plant in Port Harcourt.
Apata explained that the new plant will be a hub for the zone with new jobs added across board. He said that the new plant will cover 28,000 square metres.
The NBC chairman also appealed to Governor Wike to approve his consent for the acquired land when the company makes its application.
“We want to double our production to 75 million unit cases,” he said.
