The Governor of Delta State, Senator Dr Ifeanyi Okowa has urged the
Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) to re-establish their office in the State due to the numerous
benefits derivable from such.
Governor Okowa made the call when management of the
SPDC led by Engr. Osagie Okunbor paid him a courtesy visit at Government House,
Asaba.
According to the Governor closing down its office
in the State was not a good idea as the company still have a lot of business
activities going on in the state, especially, loading its crude from the
Forcados terminal.
While observing that Shell has an office in Lagos
despite not having its operations in the area, Senator Okowa observed that Shell
still have a lot of activities in Delta State and as such, it was important for
the oil company to re-open its operational office and show more presence in the
State.
“We are glad that you (Shell) are still exporting
crude through the Forcados terminal and still have other assets in the State, Shell
cannot wish Delta State away from its business relationship, we have a long
shared relationship with Shell as one of its founding areas in the country,
your leaving Delta State has some economic impact on the state, we would be glad to have your office back to the state,” the
Governor said.
He added, “your visit today is very re-assuring, we
will do our best to protect and provide conducive business environment and the
best of services for investors in the State.” The Governor urged Shell and
other corporate organisations to partner with the state in the areas of empowering the people, disclosing that the
youths empowerment programmes of his administration has provided enough window
for them to key in.
While disclosing that more than 60, 000
applications were received for the empowerment programmes, the Governor stated
that the programmes were well though-out where the beneficiaries would be made
to have a changed mind-set that will make them to be dedicated to achieving
desired results.
Engr. Okunbor had earlier congratulated Senator
Okowa on his emergence as Governor and assured him of SPDC’s preparedness to
support his administration’s agenda of a prosperous Delta State, stating that
the company still has a lot of assets in the state despite divesting its
operations.
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