Mr. Nkpon Ijonama, President, Andoni Youth Coalition, has advised youths to always embrace dialogue in their quest to capture the attention of oil drilling companies domiciled in their localities.
Ijonama gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Port Harcourt.
He said that no meaningful development thrives in an atmosphere of rancour, urging youths to make good use of their opportunities as indigenes of host communities to positively develop themselves.
“As youths, we should be grateful to God that we are from a region that is blessed with a hot cake, that is Crude. Today Andoni Local Government Area (LGA) is one of the oil producing areas in Nigeria.
“Luckily for us in Andoni, Tubu field, an oil field owned by Chevron, which was abandoned for over two decades following its low production capacity, has now been acquired by Amni Pet/Shelf drilling Company, a privately-owned local firm.
The youth leader urged residents of the area to be patient with the company, as it strives to achieve its takeoff modalities.
He also said that unnecessary activities capable of truncating a peaceful takeoff of the project would amount to rendering the entire project moribund.
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He explained that the company needed a peaceful environment to successfully develop the Tubu oil field to enable it understand the exact production capacity and the fertility.
“I urge us to look at the big picture, we should as enlightened youths, know what to expect in terms development and job creation in the area.
“We should not look at individual or selected group benefits now as this could disrupt this laudable venture, because it is only when the field has been developed that we will understand its production capacity.
“Assuming Ima field which has been in operation for more than 20 years and managed by the same Amni Pet/Shelf drilling, joins the new Tubu field, it’s possible that more than 6,000 barrels per day capacity could be achieved
“By this project, I believe that the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of our LGA will even be higher than our share from the Federal Government’s allocation.
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“Currently, Ima field, in collaboration with Tubu field, harbours up to 10 subsidiary companies that has absorbed about 50 per cent of our youths on its employment and this is a plus to our collective efforts toward tackling youth unemployment,” he said.
Ijonama then, commended Amni Pet/Shelf drilling company for its commitment in terms of Corporate Social Responsibilities in the area, urging it to do more for a sustainable business relationship.
“We have confidence that our trust will be protected in this new Tubu field acquired by Amni Pet/Shelf drilling company because for over two decades they have not failed in their responsibilities to us as host communities.
” Amni has tried but the area has not benefited up to 30 per cent from its expected reward. That is why they should do more.
” We urge the company to adopt a more open door policy where its allocations are made known to appropriate bodies, at the beginning of each fiscal year, to enhance due process and policy implementation by the host communities.
“Scholarship opportunities should be properly advertised to avail only qualified students of such benefits,” he said. (NAN)