In a move to strengthen sustainable community development, Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) Limited has launched a Global Memorandum of Understanding (GMoU) involving six new host communities in Rivers State.
The communities include Abua, Egi, Ekpeye, Kalabari, Ogba and Okrika.
Speaking during the signing event on Thursday, Chairman, House of Assembly Committee on Environment, Christian Ahiakwo, said the GMoU is a new paradigm geared toward community development.
In his remarks, Andy Odeh, the General Manager, External Relations and Sustainable Development, NLNG, explained that the GMoU is a model for sustainable community development in which communities are grouped in clusters and empowered to drive their development.
According to him, the company’s previous GMOU with Ubeta, Rumuji, and Ogbunabali communities that host its Gas Transmission System (GTS) and Corporate Head Office had been yielding excellent results in those communities.
He said: “The decision to take up this model of relationship is based on the yearnings and observed developmental deficits in our GTS communities. The need to bridge the infrastructural gaps, to alleviate poverty and unemployment while building community capacity to drive their affairs necessitated this novel approach for CSR activities.
“The GMOU framework has already been adopted by International Oil Companies (IOCs) for managing relations with their respective host communities, and it has proven fruitful over the years.
“While it may seem NLNG is late to the game, we believe our GMOU model will benefit from the experiences of these IOCs and, therefore, it is assured successful outcomes.”
