As part of efforts to address the challenge of accommodation, oil multinational, Chevron, has commissioned 30 housing units valued at over N530 million in Kula, Akuku-Toru local government area of Rivers State.

The project was executed by the Kula Regional Development Committee, KRDC, under the Global Memorandum of Understanding, GMoU with the NNPC/Chevron Joint Venture, which enables communities to initiate and execute projects, while the firm provides the funding.

Chevron’s General Manager, Policy Government and Public Affairs, PGPA, Mr. Deji Haastrup, at the commissioning said the successful completion of the projects reinforces the GMoU Community Engagement model as a vehicle for sustainable socioeconomic development in communities around its area of operation in the country.

Haastrup said, “The successes recorded in the implementation of the GMoU in Kula and in other cluster communities bordering the company’s operations in the Niger Delta region have shown that with adequate support, the communities can drive their development process.”

He said the GMoU Community Engagement model which was established by the NNPC/Chevron Joint Venture in 2005, was a longterm stimulus for sustainable expansion of the economies of the communities in the Niger Delta.

Haastrup explained that the model will help provide youths of the Niger Delta opportunities for meaningful engagement and enhance peace in the region through constructive dialogue and respect for the rule of law.

He expressed happiness that the GMoU has continued to meet its objectives of making communities take the driver’s seat in their development and ensuring huge empowerment and capacity building opportunities come to our people.

Representative of the Rivers State government, Chief Charles Opurum, thanked the NNPC/Chevron Joint Venture for its development efforts in the state and urged other organisations to emulate the company’s social responsibility outlook.

Earlier, the RDC chairman, Mr. Stanley Benibo, thanked the NNPC/CNL Joint Venture for establishing the GMoU and noted that the community engagement model has benefited Kula communities and enhanced sustainable development of the area.

Source: National Mirror