****As Governor Uzodinma, traditional rulers pledge support
Seplat Petroleum Development Company Plc, has reaffirmed its resolve to developing communities in Imo State, where it has operations, and ensuring that more lives are positively impacted in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The Chairman, SEPLAT, Dr. ABC Orjiako, said this when he led a management team of the company in a courtesy call to the Imo State Governor, His Excellency, Senator Hope Uzodinma and leaders of host communities in Ohaji and others, at the Government House, Owerri.
In a statement made available to Vanguard, the call, which was aimed at fostering better relationship among stakeholders to drive sustainable development in the State, had Governor Uzodinma laud Seplat’s success story in Nigeria and internationally. He also charged the Seplat Chairman and his team to take advantage of the current shared prosperity model of 3-R, which is the super structure of Rehabilitation, Reconstruction and Recovery of key economic and political institutions in the State and host communities in particular.
“There is a new order. We may not be able to do business as usual in Ohaji where the traditional ruler will not be recognized in decision making and taking of the companies doing business in his community,” Uzodinma stated, urging that SEPLAT should continue to engage the Imo people in the running of the company.
“If the community is good to host your business, the people from the community should also be good to be part of the management. If you think they do not have the requisite qualifications, train them to your standard and use them,” Governor Uzodinma said.
In line with the development of key Infrastructure in Imo State, the Governor further urged Seplat to take advantage of a federal government tax relief and embark on the reconstruction of one or two federal roads in Imo State.
His Excellency, the Imo State Governor also encouraged Seplat to do more town hall meetings with its host communities, where the needs of the people would be collectively assessed based on global standards regardless of the existing Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programmes.
Uzodinma said Seplat will gain more by engaging the traditional rulers and the town union president of the host community on how the company and the host communities can work together, stressing that his administration is interested in establishing a petro-chemical industry and gas fabrication plant that can power a planned industrial layout in Owerri.
Uzodinma, therefore, promised to work with Seplat to ensure that the ANOH Gas Project at Assa becomes a success story.
In his remark, Dr. Orjiako agreed with the Governor of Imo State on the development plans, whilst explaining that Seplat is interested in developing the area where the company is located and that the firm places premium on quality of life of the people.
Also speaking, the traditional ruler of Assa in Ohaji, Eze Emmanuel Aso, commended Governor Uzodinma for giving them the opportunity to interface with Seplat once again.
Eze Aso further assured the Governor and the Seplat team of the community’s cooperation and support, while committing to the common resolve of all stakeholders to create value for the communities and the state at large.
