Oando Energy Resources, (a subsidiary of Oando PLC) one of Nigeria’s leading indigenous oil producers and Energia Limited, the Operator of their Joint Venture – Ebendo/Obodeti Marginal Field (OML 56), on Monday December 3, 2018, commissioned and handed over multi-billion Naira infrastructural projects to six host communities in Kwale, Ndokwa West Local Government Area, Delta State.
The projects include a newly built health centre; housing estate; fully furnished community town hall; two new and fully furnished palaces; an integrated drainage system and roads and rural electrification for the benefit of the communities of Ebendo, Obodougwa, Umusam, Isumpe, Umusadege and Ogbeani.
The projects are an actualisation of the promises made by the Joint Venture in an agreed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the host communities for the exploration and operations of the Ebendo/Obodeti oil field. These newly commissioned projects are in addition to the 35 other social and infrastructural projects worth over N2 billion delivered over a 10 year period in line with the MoU. Projects have included the Ebendo Community Ultra-Modern Market, the Isumpe Community fully furnished Ultra-Modern Town Hall, and the provision of community buses and a robust Welfare Programme through a Trust Board for elderly community members.
Speaking at the December 3 commissioning, the Governor of Delta State, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, represented by the Honourable Commissioner for Oil and Gas, Hon. Freeman Fregene, said; “The existence of Oando and Energia has brought rapid developments to these host communities. The performance of these companies reflects on the developmental strides of the communities and it is worth emulating at all levels”, he said.
From inception the mission of the JV partnership has been to effectively drive the rapid and sustained development of its host communities. To do this they put aside a percentage of their gross production revenue for diverse community development projects. In 2009, they established the Community Trust Fund (CTF) Board, consisting of representatives from Oando, Energia and the host communities.
So far, the CTF has spent N2 billion on over 35 infrastructural projects across the Emu Ebendo, Oboduguwa, Umusam, Isumpe, Ogbeani and Umusadege communities. These have included 9 road and drainage projects, 7 town halls and palaces, 6 educational facilities, 5 electrification projects, 4 elders’ welfare projects, 3 youth and women empowerment projects, healthcare facilities, markets, housing estates, transportation systems, security and landscaping projects.
Commenting, the Chairman, Energia Limited, Mr. Geroge Osahon, said, “The implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding based on mutual agreement on the initiation and implementation of projects has brought meaningful and measurable development to the communities and in turn a peaceful environment for operations for the Joint Venture”.
Also commenting the General Manager, Government Relations, Oando Energy Resources, Kofo Tunji-Olagunju stated; “At Oando, we believe it is our corporate social responsibility as a proudly Nigerian company, to give back to our host communities and promote sustainable development.
Our mantra is that we must leave all our host communities better off than we met them. In this light, we have earmarked more impactful projects to further upgrade the quality of living in the communities. Plans are in advance planning stage for the upgrade of Kwale General Hospital into a fully functional referral hospital which will provide improved health care delivery services to the communities within the Ndokwa West Local Government Area.”
