Okowa Urges Multinational Oil Companies To Step Up CSR, Inspects Kwale- Beneku Bridge ...Esiso Reaffirms PDP Commitment To Crunch APC Delta In 2023, Receives Decampees in Ndokwa Nation.

By Fred Latimore Oghenesivbe, Esq.

#eacgovdelta 

Governor of Delta State, Senator Dr Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa, has again appealed to Multinational oil companies operating in Nigeria, to intensify their Corporate Social Responsibility, CSR, in host communities, so as to enhance peaceful coexistence and hitch free operations.

The governor made the appeal in Kwale on Friday, while inspecting the construction of the multi billion Naira Kwale-Beneku Bridge across Ase River, linking Ndokwa East and West Local Government Areas in the State, saying that the multinational companies as corporate citizens must of a necessity continue to fulfill their duties as development partners by contributing meaningfully to the socioeconomic and infrastructure upgrades of host communities under the CSR arrangement.

He said the Kwale-Beneku Bridge ought to be constructed by AGIP and other oil companies operating in the area, noting that Ndokwa nation is rated as one of the critical areas for oil exploration in the country, and wondered why the multinational companies deliberately looked the other way for decades, before his administration took up the project as part of the ongoing massive roads infrastructure development across the three senatorial districts in the state.

Okowa, accompanied by his deputy, Deacon Kingsley Burutu Otuaro, Esq, and other top government functionaries, toured the project and gave the contractors a pat on the back for the quality of job, and assured the good people of Ndowa nation, of his administration's commitment towards the inauguration of the bridge, not later than February next year.

"I actually felt that the oil companies, particularly AGIP, should have before now constructed a bridge across this place but since they couldn't do it, we cannot ignore our people across this place.

"A lot of oil facilities are on this other side and there is a need to open up access to the place from Ndokwa West to Ndokwa East Local Government Area because it’s quite important.

"I remember coming on campaign using the pontoon to cross; on one of the occasions when we were trying to cross, some of our people fell into the river and we cannot continue to allow such to happen because the people across matter a lot to us.

"They are part of the state and more so, they are part of the oil and gas producing communities in Nigeria."

"I believe that a lot of work has been done but we will follow through with them to ensure that they deliver the work on target.

"I am glad that the water level at the peak of the rains has been taken care of with the height of the bridge during the construction," Okowa added.

The governor also attended a reception at Utagba-Uno in honour of Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, Mr Daniel Ossai, where he reaffirmed his commitment to the pact with Ndokwa Neku Union led by Brig-Gen. Mike Ndubuisi (retd), to give more attention to the area.

"Let me assure you that all I agreed with the leadership of Ndokwa-Neku Union when they visited me recently I will execute all the agreements.

"Above all that, it is my prayer and I am praying everyday that an Ndokwa person will occupy a prime position in the next dispensation.’’

At the event, hundreds of members of the All Progressives Congress (APC), led by former Deputy State Chairman of the party, Chief Terry Otuya, defected to the PDP.

Receiving the defectors, Chairman of PDP in the state, Chief Kingsley Esiso, described APC as "noise makers" and vowed to chase them out of Delta.

"They are free to make their noise but they are aware that when the chips are down they cannot stand the PDP machinery in Delta.

"I doubt their capabilities; so, don't believe their promises; they are all lies. How can anybody truly called a Deltan be deceived by that party called APC?

"Today, Nigeria is now the poverty headquarters of the world because of APC's poor leadership in the nation.

"They can do whatever they like anywhere particularly, Abuja, but let them know that Delta is a no-go-area for them,’’ he said.