The Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) Joint Venture, says it has disbursed a total of N1.88 billion to the Global Memorandum of Understanding (GMoU) clusters in Delta state.
Mr Igo Weli, General Manager, External Relations of SPDC disclosed this during the “2018 Shell in Nigeria Briefing Note,” presentation in Warri, on Thursday.
GMoU clusters are communities selected from Local Government Areas as advised by the state government.
Weli said, “SPDC operated Joint Venture has implemented wide ranging projects in Delta, disbursing a total of N1.88 billion to GMoU clusters.’’
He said the oil multinational was also establishing a Professorial Chair at the Federal University of Petroleum Resources (FUPRE) in Effurun, to justify its active presence in Delta.
He added that SPDC had donated N60 million facilities to five public schools under its Youth Sports and Athletics Development Project (YSADP) to mark the Nigeria’s centenary anniversary.
“Those projects show our continuous presence and interest in the development of Delta.
“While SPDC divested from a number of assets in Delta in line with our business strategy and in support of the participation of more Nigerian companies in oil and gas, we are still active in the state.
“SPDC is operating Forcados Terminal, flow stations, gas plants and a network of pipelines.
“The GMoU funding covers three clusters in Delta since inception in 2006 and the Cluster Development Board like their counterparts in other parts of Niger Delta are implementing health and educational projects among others,’’ he said.
He said the Professorial Chair in Light Weight Automobile Engine Development activated in FUPRE in December 2017 was aimed at contributing to the growth of local content in the Nigerian automobile industry.
He explained that no fewer than 700 men and women had benefitted from the SPDC’s LiveWIRE initiative between 2003 and 2017 in Delta.
According to him, “A total of 160 students from Delta have received the SPDC flagship Cradle-to-Career scholarship awards since 2010.’’
Weli equally expressed SPDC JV’s willingness to continue to contribute its quota to the development of its host communities in collaboration with other stakeholders.
He, however, appealed to the host communities to create the right environment to attract and sustain investment in Niger/Delta.
He warned that any form of violence and pipeline vandalism would only impede development in the state. (NAN)
