No fewer than twenty-six youths have recently benefited from a skill acquisition training/capacity building programme organized by the Heritage Oil Services Ltd, Warri, Delta State for Cluster 3 under OML 30. Cluster 3 comprises the three oil producing communities of Evwreni, Unenurhie and Uwheru under the Oil Mining License (OML) 30 in Ughelli North Local Government Area.
In a short ceremony to mark the presentation of certificates and starter packs to the beneficiaries at Unenurhie community, the chairman of the cluster, Mr. Bright Adjogbe, who doubles as the president general of Evwreni Clan Improvement Union thanked Heritage Oil Services Ltd for the kind gesture displayed to the three different host communities.
The Evwreni president general said, “We thank the management of Heritage Oil Services Ltd for embarking on this capacity building training as depicted in our GMoU. I also thank our youths for making themselves available for the training. Today, the oil company is presenting to them their certificates and starter packs to start their jobs immediately. Therefore, I want to plead with the beneficiaries to make good use of the items being presented to them today by the oil company.”
In his remarks, Chief John who represented Heritage Oil Services Ltd said, “What we are witnessing today is part of the corporate social responsibility of the company to its host communities and we are always happy for doing it to all our host communities.
“The major reason for organizing capacity building training for our youths and women is to reduce the high rate of unemployment in the country. You will agree with me that, the successful completion of this training in different trades like welding/fabrication, fashion design, tiling, hair dressing/make-up, cake making/pastries etc by our youths today, have made them to secure employment for themselves. Let me inform the beneficiaries that from time to time, our company will be paying appraisal visits to see how well you are making use of your equipment and managing your business,” he said.
In separate media chats with the presidents-general of Unenurhie community, Mr. Peter Maison, and that of Uwheru kingdom, Chief Cassidy Akpedafe, the duo who also served as secretary and vice chairman of the cluster respectively expressed joy for a successful completion of the skill acquisition training and also thanked their youths for not disappointing them.
They however frowned against the sharing formula of where only Evwreni community would receive fourteen trainees while the other two communities would get six each, even though it was based on oil production quota from the field. They asked the board and the management of the oil company to look into the shortfall and make possible changes in the future.
The peak of the event was the presentation of appreciation remarks by Prince Ovie Akpomerha from Uwheru community on behalf of the other beneficiaries. He thanked the leadership of the various communities for finding them worthy of the great opportunity. He also thanked Heritage Oil Services Ltd for not only giving them the training but also providing them with starter packs to start off their skills. He therefore promised on behalf of his colleagues to make good use of the equipment.
The event ended with the presentation of certificates and starter packs to the twenty-six beneficiaries by the representative of the oil company, the chairman of the cluster and the training consultant/facilitator.