BENIN CITY – Leading oil palm producing giant, Okomu Oil Palm Plc has earmarked the sum of N275 million for development projects as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme for host communities in its areas of operations.
The Managing Director of the company, Dr. Graham Hefer made the disclosure at the weekend during a workshop for the host communities’ representatives who participated in an interactive workshop.
The theme of the workshop which was “Corporate Communities Relationship: A Win Win situation, delivered by Mr. Tony Abolo a veteran broadcast Journalist emphasized communities rapprochements strategies which host communities should employ to engage the company in areas of need, stressing the: “do no harm principle.”
The company which also awarded bursary to students of higher institutions in the communities to the tune of over four million naira (N4m) also promised to upgrade its skill acquisition programme for community members from one month to a year, estimated, to cost over N2 million.
Dr. Hefer explained that the aim of the workshop was to draw members of the host communities closer so that they can understand the way the company and its system of operations, saying “we should understand each other and we don’t want to have issues with anybody.”
On the projects execution, he assured that the company has always kept promises and expects that the host communities should also reciprocate by keeping to their own promises.
“We have rules and regulations. The communities should play by rules like in a football game, you should work with us and not against us and we will always develop the communities and the people. Every single community has requested development projects and already, those projects requested by them are all being carried out,” he declared.
While advising the host communities to work in tandem with the Communities Liaison Officers (CLOs) who will link up with them regarding the projects, Dr. Hefer said that the company was happy to spend the money in its host communities, adding that it was geared towards assisting the communities to develop.
He advised them to accept whatever projects come their way as it was a continuing process with opportunities for more projects expansion in the future, stressing that it is important that they should protect the goose that lays the golden egg.
He noted that everyone was equal in the eyes of the company and emphasized rewards for whistle blowers and declared that the message to members of the host communities should be: “help us to protect the asset that helps you to get development projects.”
He said that some projects to be executed in the communities include boreholes, clinics upgrading and road grading, stressing that it is beyond its capacity to carry out whole road construction projects.
About 35 students will receive bursary awards while 25 students had already received cheques to cover the award with another 25 to benefit in skills acquisition programmes ranging from hair dressing, GSM repairs, among others.
