Frontier Oil/Savannah Energy Empowers Host Community Youths With Starter Packs

Community Youths of Frontier Oil and Savannah Energy that comprises of Esit Eket, Eket local government areas have been empowered with business starter packs.

The massive starter pack empowerment is in line with the corporate social responsibilities of the oil and gas producing company as enshrined in the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).

Speaking at the event to the graduate trainees, the chairman of MoU Implementation Committee, Pastor Macaulay Nyoho, thanked God for making the day a reality, explaining that the trainees were trained so that they can train others.

“I thank God for making this day a reality because it is a training that started few years even though some trainees did not believe in it thus, lagging behind, but today, it has successfully come to reality. To encourage the trainees, they were paid N10.000 only every month for transportation.

Pastor Nyoho warned against laziness on the part of the trainees, who may not want to utilize the skills they have acquired to have a rethink.

He warned those who may want to sell the equipment given to them, saying that such action will attract prosecution.

“A committee has already been set up to monitor you all for the period of one year and should you dare sell any of it, you will be arrested immediately,” he said.

Mr Nyoho therefore pleaded with all the graduate trainees to make good use of those things given to them so that they can use it and train others.

Also speaking, the Chief Legal Adviser of Frontier Oil, Barr. Bassey Essien, who equally thanked God for a beautiful day, commended the oil company for their thoughtful empowerment and urged the beneficiaries to take their entrepreneurial spirit seriously.

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“I talk to you today because I have interest in poverty alleviation, even though I am a lawyer and if I were to go back to school today, I will study something that has to do with human capacity and poverty alleviation. I urge you all to take seriously what you have learned and given today because it is what people everywhere in the world use to make a living. In the global world today, the fastest way to make money is through handwork.

“Social media has afforded us a great opportunity and is more of business and making money than just chatting. Network marketing has helped many people in the world to earn a living today and I urge you all to imbibe it and make good use of the opportunity.

“I am a practicing lawyer and a farmer.  I own a farm and I employ people in large quantity. The handwork you have learned, kindly practice it and make good use of it because that is what rules the world, coupled with the smartphones you people have”.

The former Speaker of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly however commended the company for doing a fantastic work for the host communities’ youths.

He acknowledged the fact that the company did not just train the youths but also empowered them with starter pack equipment so that they can be of good use for themselves and their families. He equally pleaded with the chairman of the committee not to stop at that, but should incorporate with cooperatives so that they can be given small loans with low interest.

The commissioner for Power and petroleum Resources, who spoke in representative capacity through Mrs Ofonime Sanky, said the company is doing a good job for the youths and it is in line with the completion agenda of His Excellency, Governor Udom Emmanuel on industrialization and development.

The commissioner urged the graduate trainees to take it seriously, having chosen them for such kind gesture. She asked the guarantors not to sign for anybody whom they know will not be serious with his/her skill.

She pleaded with the company to seek partnership next time they want to embark on such training so that more people can be brought in to train them; “I know there going to be challenges but when you meet challenges, assemble it so that next time we come here for such event, you present it to us and we see how to solve it for you.

The Clan Head of Ekid Offiong, HH Nsoduok Ikott, commended the company for creating such opportunity for the youths of the host communities.

“I commend the company for your ability to inculcate values into these graduate trainees by training you all so that you can be useful to yourselves. For the avoidance of doubt, Savannah Energy should function as a distinct entity and not to play hide and seek under the guise of other companies in an attempt to shortchange us.

“To the recipients, I will say you people are very lucky because a lot of people are looking for this opportunity. Today, through the corporate responsibility of the Frontier Oil, you are a professional and I plead with you to make good use of it.

“Let me advice you, none of those equipment should leave your house/shop. Thank God, the company has put machineries on ground to checkmate you on how you will make use of those things. Take off the low self-esteem in you because that is what drags some of you backward. Do not see yourself as someone who would not be able to do it. See yourself as though you can do it.

“Let not what you have achieved today die in your hand, extend it to others. For the company, though I have a strong reservation in terms of your employment method over the host community youths, however, I enjoin you to venture into other areas so that communities can be well developed,” the royal father said.

Speaking also to the graduate trainees, the commissioner for Women Affairs, Mrs Ini Adiakpan, thanked Frontier Oil and Savannah Energy for the great things they have done for the host communities.

“You will never appreciate this skill acquisition programme you are being given until you step out and see people asking for all sorts of assistance to get themselves up. My heart is bleeding having heard that seven persons have not attended the training program to the end.

“Perhaps, they did not take it seriously thus, expected to be given money at the end without doing what was required of them.

“This is the opportunity for you to be creative and useful because it is to complement the completion agenda of His Excellency, Governor Udom Emmanuel. There are grants everywhere but how many of you are ready to incubate into the larger world and accept challenges.

“Let what you have been empowered with today not die in your hand else you will have yourself to blame because even if you have a doctorate degree, at the end of the day, you will still fall back to that skill because it will give you food.

“For the elders in the community, I know from the little the company has given, I hope the beneficiaries will accept and make good use of it. My own is that; utilize the opportunity that brings progress. That is, when a graduate is needed, bring someone with that qualification and shun this idea of man know man syndrome so that those who do not know man can also benefit.  I urge you to always utilize any opportunity given to you properly without sentiment.”

The commissioner equally urged the trainers not to be afraid of taking loans because already, Her Excellency, Dr. (Mrs) Martha Udom Emmanuel has opened medium for interest free loan for the women of Akwa Ibom State.

The youths’ representative, Comrade Joseph Charles, thanked the oil company for the empowerment programme for the youths and suggested that, next time the board is constituted, youth leaders should be involved.

Meanwhile, the training started with a total of 62 trainees but 55 successfully made it to the final and were presented with certificates of competence.