COVID-19: Chevron, First E & P support 8 Bayelsa host
communities with staple food
Chevron Nigeria Ltd and First E & P on Sunday donated
staple food to support its host communities in Bayelsa to cope with the
lockdown occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Representatives of the benefiting eight communities in
Southern Ijaw and Brass local governments of Bayelsa took delivery of 1,600
bags of garri on Sunday in Yenagoa.
The communities are Koluama 1 and 2, Ezetu 1 and 2,
Foropa, Fishtown, , Ekeni and Sangana forming the acronym KEFFES as parties of
Global Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) Chevron and First E & P.
Speaking at a brief presentation ceremony, Mr Mathew
Sele-Epri, Chairman KEFFES Rural Development Foundation, said that the gesture
from the two oil firms was to show emphaty and care to members of its host
communities.
Sele-Epri, on behalf of the donours, handed the 1,600
bags of garri to Community Development Chairman (CDC) of the eight benefiting
communities
He said that the sit at home directive aimed at
containing the spread of the corona virus had presented challenges with the
communities, a development that compelled the KRDF to seek the assistance of
the oil firms operating in the area..
“The intervention came from Chevron and First E & P
who are our partners in response to the COVID-19 pandemic,to cushion the harsh
effects of the lockdown on the residents in their host communities.
“This is a crucial time to show genuine love and we are
glad that they have responded and the food we have here will sustain the people
for at least one month and we have the governance structure for judicious and
equitable distribution.
“Each of the eight communities will get 200 bags of 50 kg
of garri.On our own at the KRDF we reiterate providing the enabling peaceful
environment for their operations to thrive,” Sele-Epri said.
Mr Ekubo Patrick, Chairman, Koluama 2 CDC Chairman and
leader of CDC Chairmen Forum received the food on behalf of the communities.
He applauded the oil firms for their sensitivity to the
needs of their host communities and urged other companies operating in the area
to emulate Chevron and First E & P.
Also Ms Beatrice Mienye, Financial Secretary of KRDF
noted that with food security in the rural communities, compliance with the
stay-at-home directive would be much easier to comply with.
KRDF was set up for eight Chevron host communities in Bayelsa
comprising Koluama 1 and 2, Ezetu 1 and 2, Foropa, Fish Town, Ekeni and Sangana
located along the Atlantic coastline within Bayelsa.
Following the 2015 divestment from Oil Mining Leases 83 and 85
by Chevron to First E&P, an indigenous firm, the new owners entered into
agreement with the host communities and adopted the governance structure of
KRDF
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