Former acting managing director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Ibim Semenitari has called on oil companies operating in the Niger Delta region, to channel part of their resources towards the development of education in communities in the region.
Semenitari made the call at the weekend in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State, while speaking with newsmen shortly after the graduation ceremony final year students of the Arch-Deacon Brown Education Centre (ABEC) Group of Schools.
She said: “I say to other companies in the Niger Delta and indeed across the country, especially at this time when there is a lot of challenge that people and communities face, it will be so wonderful if each of us can adopt a child and follow that child through.
“It is even more amazing if we go to schools; we have community schools that need a lot of help. Very often we leave everything for government but education is truly more than just government business. Education also has a community component to it. So, I will like to encourage corporations and companies to invest in education.”
The former NDDC boss lauded the Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) for promoting education in the Niger Delta region, through its ‘Cradle To Career’ programme and enjoined other corporations and companies to emulate the firm.
Semenitari said: “Honestly, this is one thing that Shell Petroleum Development Company does and it is not announced, but it is a wonderful programme. Shell has been doing this for more than a decade. For several years, across all the top schools, Shell take children from rural communities and oil producing communities and give them a change to have top class education on a scholarship.
“Quite frankly, Shell’s cradle to career programme is something is something every corporate organization should emulate because not only are you investing in tomorrow, you are producing a workforce that you can rely on. The human resource is the most vital resource that you can rely on in production.
“So, if you are able to commit to producing the right human resource, you will be the winners at the end of the day. So, Shell is doing this and investing in these young lives and I have to say a big thank you to Shell Petroleum Development Company because of this cradle to career programme.
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