The Nigerian oil giant, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd (NNPCL) has reiterated its commitment to work with host communities in Nigeria’s oil-rich Niger Delta region towards lasting peace and economic prosperity.
The Group CEO of the NNPCL, Mallam Mele Kyari, said at the dialogue session with the Niger Delta communities held in partnership with the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Community Engagement (South-South), Gift Johnbull, in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital, that the engagement marked an important step in the journey to strengthen unity and promote development in the region through the Third Phase Amnesty Programme.
Kyari, who was represented at the occasion by the Head of Business Services of the NNPC Upstream Investment Management Services (NUIMS), Mr. Sani Kabo, said that the engagement marked an important step in the journey to strengthen unity and promote development in the region through the Third Phase of the Amnesty Programme.
According to him, the NNPCL is committed to sustained dialogue with traditional, ex-agitators and youth leaders towards addressing local concerns and restoring trust across the nine Niger Delta states.
Kyari said that the coming of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) has emplaced allocation of 3% of NNPCL’s operational expenditures (OPEX) to community development, a development that will ensure projects reflect the communities’ priorities whilst investing in skills acquisition, community empowerment, and sustainable livelihood initiatives for the benefit of the various communities.
“Our mission is clear. We are committed to fostering lasting peace, creating economic opportunities and transforming the Niger Delta redion,” he added.
The session is part of the citizen assembly engagements, which is one of the side events of the forthcoming Climate of Parties (COP) 29 Conference taking place in Baku, Azerbaijan in November this year.
GIK/APA