ODAHIEKWU OGUNDE, Yenagoa
The Dodo River Communities Rural Development Association (DRCRDA), Ekeremor Local Government Area, Bayelsa State, declared on Friday that it spent N98.34m on community development projects in 2021.
The expenditure is marginally higher than the N95.43m spent by the association in 2020.
The Chairman, DRCRDA, Mr Francis Amamogiran, stated this while speaking during the 10th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the association in Yenagoa, the state capital.
He explained that the funding came from Chevron Nigeria Limited under the Global Memorandum of Understanding (GMoU) with the oil firm’s five host communities in Ekeremor LGA.
He noted that the fund was deployed for infrastructure and non-infrastructure projects consisting of town hall buildings, scholarships, adult education programmes, cottage hospitals, and staff salaries, among others.
Amamogiran said the association conducted its activities in line with the transparency and accountability requirements of the GMoU funding framework which prioritises community participation in development projects.
He said that the association was holding the last AGM under the GMoU model following the enactment of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) and looking up to the government to provide further guides on the host community funds administration.
Also speaking, the Secretary of the association, Mr Christmas Mark, applauded the peaceful disposition of residents of the host communities that resulted in the successful oil and gas exploration in the outgone year and urged them to sustain the peace.
In her speech, Mrs Ruth Etebu, Permanent Secretary, Bayelsa Ministry of Mineral Resources, expressed satisfaction at the governance structure adopted by the association in implementing projects.
She advised the residents to continue their peacebuilding efforts to attract further development to their communities as a peaceful atmosphere attracts investors.
The high point of the event was the presentation of certificates to 10 female beneficiaries of the Adult Education Scheme by Etebu.
Mrs Mien Sunday, who spoke on behalf of the beneficiaries, expressed appreciation to Chevron and the leadership of the association for giving them another chance to learn to read and write.
She said the knowledge acquired had improved their self-esteem with those engaged in petty trading could now keep records and track the progress they make in their various businesses.