Odahiekwu Ogunde, Yenagoa
Dodo River Communities Development Association in Ekeremor Local Government Area of Bayelsa State on Friday inaugurated projects worth over N141.65million funded by the NNPC/Chevron joint venture.
The benefitting communities are Amatu I, Amatu II, Biabiri I, Bilabiri II and Bisangbene.
The projects inaugurated are Dodo River Secretariat in Yenagoa, building and furnishing of Bilabiri I Primary School, water treatment projects, concrete roads and twin engine speedboats.
Others include project communications systems, provision of plastic chairs and tables and canopies for the communities, among others.
Speaking during the inauguration of Dodo House, a secretariat for the communities, Permanent Secretary, Bayelsa Ministry of Mineral Resources, Mr Okebia Keku, applauded the association for the prudent use of the funds.
He said that the Global Memorandum of Understanding (GMoU) development template, which the government oversaw, gave the communities greater participation in the selection and execution of development projects.
In his remarks, Chairman of the association, Mr Berry Negerese, explained that the projects were executed with funds provided between 2016 and 2019 but paucity of funds delayed the Dodo secretariat building project.
He noted that the introduction of the GMoU approach by Chevron had enhanced the capacities of Niger Delta communities in development activities as they now drive projects funded by oil firms in a transparent manner.
He appealed to Chevron and other development partners to assist the association with funds to furnish the secretariat to enable them to put it to optimal use.
He urged the oil firm to extend community employment opportunities to Dodo River communities in its Agbami offshore oilfields.
Also speaking, the monarch of Iduwini Kingdom in Ekeremor, King Joel Ibane, applauded Chevron for the gesture and appealed to the oil firm to sustain its development activities in its host communities.
On his part Senior, Programmes Manager, Participatory Partnership for Community Development, Mrs Uju Obiora, said association’s mentoring organisation applauded the transparent governance structure adopted.
The incoming Chairman of the association, Mr Francis Amanmogiran, urged Dodo River community to close ranks and seek more development funds from donors to complement their sole source of funding from Chevron.