The Itsekiri Regional Development Committee (IRDC), a major community-driven development council, under the NNPC/Chevron Joint Venture, has inaugurated an integrated Agriculture farm at Tisun community, Town Hall at Eghoro and 52 housing projects spread across about 20 communities in Warri North and Warri South-West council areas in Delta state.

Speaking during the inauguration of the projects over the weekend, Chairman of the IRDC, Amb. Austine Oniyesan noted the committee had been providing scholarships to students in secondary schools and tertiary institutions, providing job opportunities to a large number of persons and creating wealth through skills acquisition programmes as well as other forms of capacity building initiatives.

Oniyesan, who commended the NNPC/Chevron J.V. for solely providing funds for the projects, disclosed that the next project cycle of the IRDC will commence very soon after necessary project needs assessment with the (23) Itsekiri communities under the IRDC.

General Manager, Policy, Government and Public Affairs, (PGPA) at Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL), Mr. Esimaje Brikinn, noted the housing projects are in alignment with the 2030  target of United Nation’s (UN)  Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), which says everyone should have access to adequate, safe and affordable housing as well as basic services.

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The Chevron PGPA boss, who was represented by the Area Manager, PGPA, Mr. Sam Daibo and PGPA Superintendent, Mr. Tony Emegere, stated CNL is working with the RDCs on the GMoU plus model, with a view to facilitating continuous development in the communities, by focusing on sustainable economic empowerment programmes and employment generation.

According to Brikinn, between 2005 and 2018, the NNPC/Chevron Joint Venture invested more than N20. 6 billion on about 600 programmes that have provided scholarships, built new schools, medical facilities, housing, agricultural development and infrastructures in communities where Chevron operates.

He stressed the NNPC/Chevron JV has a robust partnership with the Delta state government as well as the communities around CNL’s areas of operations.

Delta state governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, commended the IRDC and NNPC / Chevron Joint Venture for executing the projects and enjoined multinational oil companies to continually invest in the communities where they do business.

Okowa, who was represented by Commissioner for Oil and Gas, Mr. Freeman Fregene, admonished IRDC communities in Warri South, Warri South -West and Warri North council areas to make good use of the projects executed by IRDC and provide the necessary environment for international oil companies (IOCs) to operate.

Various community leaders, including the Olare-Aja( Oldest Man) of Tebu community, Pa. Jackson Edemayibo Tuoyo, thanked IRDC and the NFP/Chevron JV for the projects, assuring that Itsekiri host communities will continually provide the enabling environment for genuine investors.

Some of the IRDC communities where the housing projects were commissioned are Aja-Amita, Gbokoda, Ajudaibo, Madangho, Ijaghala, Ogidigben and Ode-Ugborodo.

Culled From – nationonline