Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State has commended Universal Energy Resources Limited (UERL), an indigenous oil company jointly owned by the state government and Sinopec International Petroleum Exploration Production Nigeria Company Limited (SIPEC), over the firm’s corporate social responsibility projects.
Speaking at the inauguration of a mini water project in Uta Ewa Ibekwe community in Ikot Abasi Local Government, he noted the company had demonstrated its commitment to CSR programmes aimed at improving the well being of the people.
The governor, who was represented by the commissioner for environment, Iniobong Essien, noted that last year, the company handed over a science laboratory to the Unyenghe community in Mbo Local Government Area, granted scholarship worth over N3 million to students, donated 37 motorcycles to the youths as well as provided micro-credit scheme worth over N7 million to various women cooperative societies across the state.
While urging the company to keep to its Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the state government in the area, the Governor urged the people of the area and other benefiting communities to show a high level of responsibility in protecting the facilities in their areas of operations.
Steve Okoko, chief operating officer of the company in his speech, said gesture was a demonstration of its commitment to the letters of the MoU by executing development project in Uta-Ewa community as a part of its larger host communities.
Okoko, who was accompanied by Wang Jinpeng, representing the Deputy Project Manager, Richard Xue and other management staff, further said that it had always been the company’s policy to touch the lives of the ordinary people within its host communities.
He expressed confidence that the new water project provided by UERL/SIPEC JV will ensure not only access to portable water but also an efficient and regular water supply for the entire community.
Ubong Uquang, chairman of Ikot Abasi local government transition committee thanked the company for the kind gesture to and promised to protect and maintain the facility.
