FOL-SAVE Spends N34m On Skill Acquisition In Host Communities

Local Government

FOL-SAVE Spends N34m On Skill Acquisition In Host Communities

Frontier Oil Limited and Accugas-A Savannah Energy Company (FOL-SAVE) have spent N34 million to train 62 indigenes from its host communities in diverse skill sets. Operations director, FOL, Mr Wole Adefila, dropped the hint while presenting starter packs to 55 graduands of FOLSAVE skill acquisition programmes at L'Imperial Hotel, Eket. Represented by FOL community relations officer, Mr. Sam Atara, listed the skill sets to include auto mechanics, aluminum fabrication, computer maintenance and fashion design, among others. Adefila noted that the beneficiaries were drawn from its host communities of Eket and Esit Eket Local Government Areas, recalling that the company had trained 1,142 host communities' youths in diverse skills sets from 2009 till date. According to him, the beneficiaries of the company's skills acquisition programme had received starter packs and are self- employed as at date. He appreciated its host communities and Akwa Ibom government for the freedom to operate which they have enjoyed since commencement of operations in 2005. Earlier, the chairman of UFMIC, Pastor Macaulay Nyoho, urged graduands to use starter packs to become master trainers to others in their respective communities so as to complement the effort of FOL-SAVE. Nyoho assured the companies of Uquo Field UFMIC to continue to maintain the existing cordial working relationship to enable them succeed. The commissioner for women affairs and social welfare, Dr. Ini Adiakpan, applauded FOL-SAVE for the capacity building and infrastructural development in its host communities and Akwa Ibom. Adiakpan urged the graduands to acquire skills in trade to enable them survive in their respective communities. The commissioner for power and petroleum resources, Mr. John James, commended FOL-SAVE for complementing the state government's effort through human capacity building and infrastructural development in its host communities and Akwa Ibom. Represented by the deputy director, petroleum development, Mrs. Ofonime Sankey, the commissioner maintained that the state government was trying to eradicate poverty and appealed to FOL-SAVE to include entrepreneurship training in the next skill acquisition programme. A former speaker AKHA, Chief Bassey Essien, urged graduands to be creative and not to sell the starter packs presented to them by FOLSAVE. Essien advised Nigerian youths to a learn trade and acquire more skills, after education, in order to survive in their respective communities, states and the nation at large. While commenting FOLSAVE for implementing the MOU signed with its host communities, the former speaker appealed to the company to incorporate cooperative for the graduands. The clan head of Ekid Offiong, Esit Eket Local Government Area, Chief Etteudo Ikot, thanked FOL-SAVE for implementing the MOU signed with its host communities and the state, urging the graduands to justify the confidence response on them by FOLSAVE. The royal father called on FOL-SAVE to venture into other areas of its corporate social responsibilities signed in the MOU.