Oil-bearing communities in Mbo Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State have commended Oriental Energy Resources Limited for its sustained investment in community development while lamenting what they described as decades of neglect by successive governments despite the area’s significant contribution to Nigeria’s oil and gas industry.
The position was made known during a stakeholders’ engagement with members of the Energy and Maritime Reporters of Nigeria (EMR) in Uyo, where the Chairman of the Efiat Mbo Board of Trustees, Oriental Energy Resources Limited, Barr. Inam Effiong Okon, alongside other community leaders, outlined the developmental challenges facing the area.
The stakeholders said Mbo, one of Nigeria’s major oil-producing local government areas, continues to grapple with poor infrastructure, inadequate healthcare, limited educational opportunities and what they described as the absence of meaningful government presence.
According to the community leaders, Oriental Energy Resources Limited has remained the only corporate organisation that has consistently demonstrated commitment to improving the welfare of its host communities through impactful Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programmes.
“We have oil, but Akwa Ibom State has forgotten us. The only company that has consistently shown concern for our people is Oriental Energy. They are doing what is expected of a responsible corporate citizen,” the stakeholders said.
They noted that the company, founded in 1990 by businessman Muhammadu Indimi, has executed several community development projects, including the construction of a modern science laboratory in Efiat, teachers’ quarters, scholarship awards and other educational support programmes.
The stakeholders also commended the company for the timely remittance of the three per cent Host Community Development Trust (HCDT) Fund in compliance with the provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).
They further disclosed that Oriental Energy has unveiled additional projects aimed at improving the socio-economic wellbeing of residents. According to them, the proposed interventions include the construction of an 80-unit housing estate, a modern hospital, further strengthening of the Host Community Development Trust, grants for market men and women, and technical skills acquisition programmes for unemployed youths.
The community leaders added that the company’s educational empowerment initiative would be expanded to provide scholarships for 40 secondary school students attending private schools, while beneficiaries of vocational training would receive starter packs to enable them establish their own businesses.
They also revealed that selected youths would be sponsored for advanced computer training, with outstanding participants expected to undergo specialised overseas training to enhance their technical competence and global competitiveness.
Describing the company’s intervention as exemplary, the stakeholders said Oriental Energy has demonstrated that sustainable development is achievable when oil companies maintain genuine partnerships with their host communities.
While acknowledging the gains recorded under the Petroleum Industry Act, the community leaders expressed disappointment over what they described as the poor performance of agencies established to serve oil-producing communities.
According to them, statutory allocations meant for host communities have yet to produce the expected developmental impact.
“Even the three per cent meant for host communities has not translated into visible development. Our people still lack basic amenities. We sincerely appreciate the late President Muhammadu Buhari for signing the Petroleum Industry Act into law because it has provided a legal framework for host community development. What remains is its faithful implementation,” they stated.
The stakeholders appealed to the Akwa Ibom State Government, the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), relevant federal agencies and other interventionist organisations to prioritise infrastructure and human capital development in Mbo Local Government Area.
They maintained that the area’s strategic contribution to Nigeria’s economy deserves commensurate investment and reaffirmed the communities’ commitment to sustaining a peaceful environment for oil and gas operations.
The community leaders also called for stronger collaboration among government, regulatory agencies, development partners and operating companies to ensure that the benefits of natural resources translate into improved living conditions for host communities.
