The Manager, Media and Communication, ExxonMobil, operators of NNPC/MPN Joint Venture, Mr. Ogechuckwu Udeagha, says the company remitted over N67.5bn in nineteen years to the Niger Delta Development Commission
Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio had, recently claimed that the oil companies operating in the region had defaulted in their statutory remittances to the NNDC to the tune of $4bn.
But speaking during a media interaction with newsmen in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, Udeagha said the minister’s claim was not applicable to ExxonMobil as it has not relented in its corporate social responsibility as shown in some of its social investments in the areas of its operations.
“ExxonMobil has remitted over N67.5bn to the NDDC in the past 19 years,” Udeagha said.
Speaking on allegation that the company was not paying taxes to Akwa Ibom State Government, the communication manager said the employees pay up to N7bn to the state government every month in tax.
He said, “Seventy per cent of our staff live and work here in Akwa Ibom State and we pay about N7bn tax to the state government through Pay-As-You-Earn and of course the 13 per cent derivation.
“You can therefore realise the impact we are making on the state economy. We are closely linked with the state government and it’s important that we work together.”
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He warned that Nigeria would lose over 90 per cent of its foreign exchange earnings if crude oil fails.
“Our crude oil reserves are in billions of barrels, so we need to tap them and use such revenue to add value to our economy,” he said.
Udeagha added that the country needed to make the most of its resource endowment while there was still time.(www.tbiafrica)
