MPN donates N50 Million to professional bodies, NGOs in Akwa Ibom; Charges them to invest funds wisely

By Our Reporter

Mobil Producing Nigeria, MPN, a subsidiary of ExxonMobil Corporation weekend, doled out over N50 million to twelve community-based, professional and Non-Governmental Organizations in Akwa Ibom to assist them carry out developmental and empowerment programmes in the state for the benefit of their members.

The beneficiaries are: The Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Akwa Ibom State Council, N6M; Arts and Development Initiative, Eket N7M; Providence Home Uyo, N1M; Ibom Premium (Farmers) Multi-Purpose Co-operative Society, Esit Eket LGA N4M; Ibeno Youth Presidents’ Forum N3.5M; Onna Youth Council N3M; Inter-continental Friends Multi-Purpose Co-operative Society, Onna N3M; Ulok Ulok Peoples’ Assembly, Ibeno N3.5M; Light Bearers Organization, Eket N6.990M; Chartered Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria, Akwa Ibom State Branch N.6M; Community Partners for Development, Uyo N5.990M and Pillars Forum (Uyo) Multi-Purpose Co-operative Society N6.5M.

Manager, Government and Public Affairs, Joint Venture Operations, Ibeno, Mrs Regina Udobong while thanking Akwa Ibom State Government, the people of the state and others for the numerous support MPN has received from them, commended the beneficiary organizations for their viable initiatives to enhance the living standard of the people through the implementation of lofty programmes and urged them to make judicious utilization of the funds, since failing to do so, might engender disqualification from future considerations by the Joint Venture.

She said, the company has a long history of donations and sponsorship towards human capacity development and empowerment initiatives. A few of them include: N250M ICT/entrepreneurship training for 750 unemployed graduates in Akwa Ibom through the Graduate Assistance Programme, GAP, phases 1 and 2, capacity building workshop for 800 public Primary and Secondary School teachers as well as capacity building workshop for women on food processing and production in the State.

Also, the General Manager, Joint Venture Operations of MPN, Mr Tom Benjaminsen in his speech said, the gesture represented the company’s social investment contributions to arts and skills development, empowerment and promotion of community livelihood, to help sustain and foster partnership with key stakeholders like Akwa Ibom Government, neighbouring communities, media, NGOs, Civil Society Organizations and youth bodies among others.

Mr Benjaminsen, represented at the occasion by Mr Michael Attah however lamented that, though it was not the best of times for the economy and Oil/Gas global market as well as the Nigerian Oil/Gas industry but, MPN has kept the faith with the state and Nigeria at large as a socially responsible corporate citizen that truly cares, in furtherance of the joint venture contributions to the development of Akwa Ibom.

Mr Benjaminsen recalled also that, NNPC/MPN Joint Venture had last year donated N23M to eight Motherless and Destitute People Homes in the state to aid the upkeep of orphans and persons with disabilities at the homes and assist the centers procure facilities.

Other notable contributions he noted the company had made in the development of the state and country over the years were; N100B Community Assistance Projects between 2002-2014; N180B to NDDC since 2001, N8B counterpart funding for the dualization of Eket-Ibeno road project and N6B multi-year social investment in over 380 Special Community Assistance Projects (SPII) intervention in eight Local Government Areas of the State.

He congratulated the beneficiary organizations and urged them to them to invest the donations received to judicious utilization.

Some of the beneficiaries, in their separate interviews were full of praises to NNPC/Mobil Joint Venture thanking them for the financial assistance and noting that, it would go a long way to solve their problems and also help the various others improve the well-being of members.