By John Dugbe Special Correspondent, Ughelli
Nigerians are very communal in the way live and are always forming associations to help one another. These associations give loans and engage in projects and programmes that empower members in the absence of the presence of government.
Egbema Gbaramatu Communities Development Foundation (EGCDF), which comprises some Ijaw communities in Warri North and Warri South-West Local Government Areas of Delta State, recently held its annual general meeting with a resolve to focus on economic empowerment projects that will impact on the livelihood of the people of Egbema and Gbaramatu kingdoms.
Speaking at the event, held in Effurun, Uvwie Local Government Area, Delta State, executive chairman of EGCDF, Chief Michael Johnny, stated that the foundation has embarked on 91 infrastructure projects from 2007 till date, saying that the major focus of his administration will now be on economic empowerment projects that will impact on the livelihood of the people.
Johnny said the 91 projects cut across sectors health, education, transportation, hospitality, micro-credit scheme and housing, adding that out of the 91 projects, 74 have been completed and commissioned. He explained that the foundation inherited 18 uncompleted projects at various stages of completion, and in line with the foundation’s policy of zero tolerance for abandoned projects, 13 of the projects have been completed while five have been revoked and re-award to competent contractors from same communities and they are ongoing.
He said, “the foundation held meetings with all GMoU communities in Egbema and Gbaramatu kingdoms to address the rising menace of illegal bunkering and pipeline vandalism around Chevron Nigeria Limited facilities. Our administration was able to renovate and furnished to taste the EGCDF secretariat; acquired a land space for future expansion of the secretariat; purchased two Toyota Prado Jeeps for our two monarchs; procured two 200hp Passport 19 speedboats for easy movement on the waterways.”
The executive chairman said further, “We also embarked on non-infrastructure projects such as scholarship scheme for secondary schools, first degree, master degree and doctorate degree; educational incentives for NYSC and private teachers to boost education standard of community schools; micro-credit scheme to alleviate the suffering of rural dwellers and employment for indigenes of the GMoU communities.”
According to Johnny, the foundation will establish third party collaboration with government and other external donor agencies to boost the delivery capacity of the association.
He said since it is obvious that without building the capacity and economic potential of the populace “our development efforts will be inconclusive. This initiative will, therefore, give significance to the infrastructure projects executed in the various communities. This direction in our development stride is further necessitated by the drastic climate change that has adversely affected the traditional source of livelihood of the populace and vision of the Delta State government of ‘Delta Beyond Oil’.”
He added, “It is on this premise that the RDC leadership enlightened the communities to select income generating projects that will impact on their economic well-being as they select their priority projects for 2015 and subsequent years. These projects have been put into a five-year community development plan, which will avail us the opportunity to reach out to donor agencies for partnership”.
General Manager, Policy, Government and Public Affairs, Chevron Nigeria Limited, Deji Haastrup, in his speech at the event, said beyond infrastructure development, the GMoU was o built around some principles and values like transparency and accountability, adding that the greatest success of the GMoU was in meeting its objectives of making communities take the driver’s seat in their own development and ensuring empowerment and capacity building opportunities come to the people.
He added, “The NNPC/Chevron Joint Venture will, in partnership with our other stakeholders, continue to work at improving this process that has been acknowledged as an industry best practice. Based on our experience with the current model, we shall soon be progressing into what we call GMoU+. The GMoU+ will help us to empirically monitor and evaluate the impact of the GMoU on our communities while we continue to realise our individual and collective aspirations through the process”.
He explained that the, “GMoU+ will focus on business development; third party partnership and collaboration; delivery on the Millennium Development Goals; operational excellence and human rights”.
On his part, General Secretary of the EGCDF, Jude Ebitimi Ukori, said the meeting was organised with the core values of the foundation as well as international best practices to afford them the opportunity to render account of their stewardship, adding that the GMoU process that gave birth to the formation of the foundation has recorded monumental achievements in terms of development projects and programmes.
He noted, “The GMoU process as a developmental vehicle is assuredly delivering on its set goals and objectives. The most outstanding of all is the sustained peace and harmony in our CNL operational areas. The efficient capacity building and leadership breeding among others cannot be overemphasised. There is really no perfect situation on earth, yet we are striving harder to meet expectations”.
Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan, who was represented by his Senior Special Assistant on Community Affairs, Vincent Omorie, said the he supported the GMoU process because it has have continued to make giant strides in implementing projects in the communities.
Uduaghan prayed for the realization of dream of the leaders, who laid the foundation of the GMoU process to be sustained, adding that the success story of the foundation is attributed to the outstanding contributions of the founding leaders.
The two monarchs in the communities, HRM Bini Pere III, King, Gold Oro Tiemo, the Agadagba of Egbema Kingdom and HRH Chief P. T. Oyagha Heavens, the regent of Gbaramatu Kingdom, in their speeches presented by Chief M. O E Tiemo and Chief Alfred M. Bubor respectively, said the meeting was meant to celebrate the strong bond of brotherly love and peace existing between the two kingdoms.
According to the monarchs, “In spite of the occasioned challenges, we still remain as one great people. This has brought the tremendous achievements of the GMoU we are celebrating. The foundation is God ordained and has come to elevate both kingdoms. It is one of the main agents of development of our communities and the people generally”.
The post Day Egbema, Gbaramatu communities celebrated development appeared first on Daily Independent, Nigerian Newspaper.