IN fulfilment of its Corporate Social Responsibility’s thrust, the Nigerian Gas Company (NGC), says it has inaugurated and handed over fully equipped basic healthcare centres to four of its host communities.

The Managing Director of NGC, Mr Babatunde Bakare, said the gesture was to boost healthcare delivery in the beneficiary communities.

Bakare, represented by the General Manager, Support Services, Mrs Mariam Emmanel-Ate, made this known on Monday, while
addressing the people of Itoki in Ifo Local Government Area of Ogun.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that NGC is a subsidiary of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

Bakare listed the beneficiaries as: Ijomi Community in Ethiope West Local Government Area of Delta;
Oniparaga Community in Ondo State; Iraye and Itoki Communities in Ogun.

NAN reports that the project, which started in 2016 and completed in 2018, hav3 20 beds for both male and female wards, laboratory office, 50 KVA generating set, consultancy and delivery rooms, among others.

He said the aim was to improve on the healthcare delivery of people of the company’s host communities.

Bakare said the company had identified and appreciated the communities that have been promoting peace and embracing dialogue in resolving conflicts in their area.

According to him, peace and dialogue are the hallmarks of community relations engagement process of the company.

The NGC managing director said the company would continue to solicit for the cooperation and assistance of the host communities in the areas of peace for enhanced business growth.

“As a responsive company, NGC remains committed to developing a robust and sustainable relationship with its over 350 host communities in the country to enhance business growth.

“This is just a token of appreciation and our contributions to the development of Itoki Community, which we cherish dearly as one of our peace loving communities in Nigeria,” he said.

Bakare, while thanking the Ogun Government and the traditional rulers in Itoki for their cooperation, urged the community to safeguard and used the facility judiciously.

Speaking, the Chairman of Ifo Local Government, Mr Hakeem Bello, thanked the NGC management for the laudable gesture.

Bello assured the company that the project would be safeguarded and put to proper use.

“We demand that in future, rather than looking for a piece of land to erect a structure like this, we have many primary healthcare centres that can be renovated for the same purpose,” he said.

In his remarks, the Baale of Itoki, Chief Kolawole Adebesin, thanked the NGC for its generosity.

Adebesin said that the project would save lives of many in the community, who needlessly would have died without such a health centre.

“We are proud to associate with the NGC and NNPC. We are also proud of the unquantifiable achievements of the corporation.

“We promised on our part to ensure greater peace and friendship with your organisation.

“We will, however, like to draw the attention of your corporation to scholarship and employment opportunities for our qualified children to further cement our relationship,” he said.

-NAN

BE

– Apr. 1, 2019 @ 13:20 GMT |