The Delta State government has called on oil and gas producing communities to provide conducive atmosphere for oil companies to operate and provide facilities that have direct bearing on the lives of the people.
Commissioner for Oil and Gas, Mr, Emmanuel Amgbaduba stated this during the inauguration of a cottage hospital built by the NPDC and Elcrest Joint Venture for the riverine Opuama community in Warri North Local Government Area.
He commended the company for building and equipping the cottage hospital which is first of its kind in the Egbema axis of the state, stressing that the hospital had direct bearing on the lives of the people who before now had to travel to Ondo State or Koko, particularly pregnant women to seek medical attention.
The Oil and Gas Commissioner lauded the cooperation of Opuama community and the efforts of a leader in the area, Alhaji Emmanuel Omoko adding that the partnership between the company and the community was warm which further enhanced the timely completion of the cottage hospital.
Mr Amgabduba who described the cottage hospital and facilities as world class standard said he was impressed with the dental, eye and maternal clinics as well as the information technology unit and administrative centre.
While emphasising the need for the community to protect the cottage hospital and facilities from vandals, the Oil and Gas Commissioner said upon the takeover of the hospital by the state government, a needs assessment would be carried out for appropriate staffing to ensure quality medical service delivery.
Amgbaduba appealed to the NPDC and Elcrest Joint Venture to assist in providing power and other necessary projects in Opuama community and in other areas of their operations and promised that the state government would look into their request for reclamation and sand filling of the community as well as rebuilding the collapsed school building, as the State Universal Basic Education was already compiling schools to be renovated.
The Oil and Gas Commissioner called on other oil companies operating in different parts of the state to add value to the lives of the community and people by embarking on people oriented projects.
The Community Relations Coordinator, Mr Tare Kosuowei said the company was happy with the state government and Opuama community for making the area conducive to work by giving the contractor the platform to complete the project without any hitch. He said the cottage Hospital was first of its kind in the area and promised to cooperate with the community to do more.
Representative of Opuama community, Mr Spencer Okpoye said the community was happy because since Shell Petroleum Development Company, SPDC started its operation in the 70’s before handing over its operations to NPDC and Elcrest Joint Venture the people had not experienced such development.
Mr Okpoye who is also a Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Political Matters, noted that before now, pregnant women undergo sufferings during child birth while some even die as a result of the absence of any medical facility due to minor sickness or disease and thanked the state government and the company for the cottage hospital.
He drew attention to the plight of the community to coastal erosion and appealed for reclamation and sand filling of the community and also for the intervention of the collapsed Oloduwa Primary School to be renovated and urged the company to provide electricity and other projects in the community.
The event was attended by the Member representing Warri North Constituency in the State House of Assembly, Honourable Fred Martins and the Warri North Council, Honourable Aduge Okorodudu and other top government functionaries.
The Daily Times
