As part of its corporate social responsibility to host communities in Niger Delta, Total E&P has donated a N40 million soap factory to Ekpene Ukim community in Uruan Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom state
Speaking at the ceremony, the Deputy Managing Director of the Port Harcourt district of the company, Mr. Francois Le-Cooq, said Total as a company hadcontinued to create an environment that encouraged sustainable development within communities in the state.
The project, according to him, was not part of Memorandum of Understanding with any community but a corporate social responsibility project, which the company decided should be located in the state, believing that it would go a long way to bring further developments to the local economy in a sustainable manner.
Represented by Mr. Marcel Ugwu, Le-Cooq explained that the Business Enterprise Development Entity in the Community Affairs Division of Total E&P, had the mandate to identify, nurture and grow businesses within local communities outside of contract driven activities in the oil and gas industry.
“Our belief is that by engaging our people in these activities, they will grow and be able to sustain themselves beyond oil and gas,” he noted.
He said that the project estimated to cost about N40million had the potential of creating 48 direct and 100 indirect jobs within the communities to boost the local economy of the state as well as support the growth of entrepreneurship.
“Nurturing and growing local viable businesses create both direct and indirect jobs and generate income for families and household within the communities thus widening the circle of income earners, reducing poverty and enhancing the overall economic well-being of the people
“We will continue to work towards the creation and support for small and medium sized self-sustaining business opportunities in our local communities as they are the bedrock for future growth’’ he stated.
The paramount ruler of Itu Local Government Area, Edidem Edet Akpan Inyang, thanked Total E&P ‘for bringing such a live touching project to Ekpene Ukim community especially at a time when youths in the area were looking for something to engage them’.
The royal father called on other oil companies operating in the state to emulate the kind gesture of Total and called on youths of the community to support the contractor handling the project to enable them complete the project in record time.
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