The Dodo River Communities Development Association in Ekeremor Local Government Area of Bayelsa on Thursday, July 9, 2020 inaugurated projects worth over N141.65 million funded by the NNPC/Chevron Nigeria Limited Joint Venture.
NAN reports that the beneficiary communities are Amatu I, Amatu II, Biabiri I, Bilabiri II and Bisangbene. The projects include Dodo River Secretariat in Yenagoa, building and furnishing of Bilabiri I Primary School, water treatment projects, concrete roads and twin-engine speed boats.
Others include communication systems, provision of plastic chairs and tables and canopies for the communities, amongst others. Speaking at the inauguration ceremony of Dodo House, a secretariat for the communities, Mr Okebia Keku, the Permanent Secretary in Bayelsa Ministry of Mineral Resources, applauded the association for the prudent use of the funds. He said that the Global Memorandum of
Understanding (GMoU) the development template which the government was overseeing, had given communities greater participation in the selection and execution of development projects.
Earlier, Mr Berry Negerese, the Chairman of the association, had explained that the projects were executed with funds provided between 2016 and 2019. He said that the introduction of the GMoU approach by Chevron had enhanced the capacities of Niger Delta communities in development activities as they now handle projects funded by oil firms in a transparent manner. He thanked the Oil major for funding the commissioned projects.
King Joel Ibane, the Monarch of Iduwini Kingdom in Ekeremor, applauded Chevron for the gesture and appealed to the oil firm to sustain its development activities in its host communities.
Mrs Uju Obiora, the Senior Programmes Manager, Participatory Partnership for Community Development, the association’s mentoring organisation, applauded the transparent governance structure adopted.
The in-coming chairman of the association, Mr Francis Amanmogiran, urged Dodo River communities to close ranks and seek more development funds from donors to complement their sole source of funding from Chevron.
It would be observed that CNL has sponsored or executed many projects that promote health, education and economic development within the Niger Delta and beyond.
The Company claims on its website that it adopted the; “Global Memorandum of Understanding as a new approach to community engagement in the Niger Delta, giving communities a greater role in managing their development through Regional Development Committees.”
“Since then, the NNPC/Chevron joint venture has spent more than $118 million on roughly 600 programs that have provided scholarships; built new schools, medical facilities and housing; and supported agriculture development and infrastructure improvements.”
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