21st November, 2022
By Nathan Nwakamma
The Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria (DPDC) has called for multi-stakeholder support for victims of the 2022 flood disaster across the Niger Delta region.
This is contained in a statement issued by SPDC Media Relations Manager, Mrs Abimbola Essien-Nelson.
The company called on other players in the region to join in the efforts to provide relief materials for people impacted by the recent flood disaster and work together towards helping these victims restore their lives to normal.
The SPDC said it had begun distribution of relief materials to some impacted communities in Rivers, Bayelsa, Delta and Imo states.
Mr Osagie Okunbor, the SPDC Country Chairman, was represented by SPDC Corporate Lands Manager, Mr Trevor Akpomughe in Ahoada, Rivers, to distribute food and non-food relief materials and medical supplies to impacted communities and people housed in the camps for internally displaced people.
“Shell is providing these relief materials because we do not want you to go through this sad experience alone as government and concerned institutions continue to work to make life go back to normal.
“This must be a most horrifying period for you, not being able to go about your normal lives and being exposed to all manners of health and livelihood challenges,” Okunbor was quoted as saying.
He urged the affected people to utilise the services of SPDC medical outreach.
“This flood disaster affects many communities across Nigeria.
“For us, at Shell, we are providing support to people who are in communities where we have Shell operations and in IDP camps. You are our immediate neighbours and, as we have always shown, what affects you, affects us.
“So, these relief materials and medical outreach programme that we are providing to you, we are also providing them to other affected communities in Rivers, Bayelsa, Delta and Imo States.”
Shell had earlier announced that it would be spending one million dollars, exclusive of its joint venture partners in Nigeria, to support the government’s efforts to provide relief to people impacted by the current flood disaster.
The distribution began in Ahoada, Rivers State, where the Chairman of Ahoada East Local Government Area (LGA), Benjamin Eke, and representatives of the paramount ruler, Eze Kelvin Anugwo, were on hand to receive the materials.
At the ceremony in Ahoada, Shell provided medical items that included pain-relieving creams and lotions, anti-diarrhoea tablets, multivitamins, eye ointment, disposable face masks, antivenom for snake bites, vaccines against tetanus, and mosquito repellent creams.
The company also provided bags of rice, iodized salt, garri, beans, beverages, infant supplements, sachet water, cartons of noodles, vegetable and palm oil; toothpaste, sanitary pads, towels, antiseptic soaps, diapers, washing soap; mattresses, blankets, mosquito nets, plates and cups, buckets etc.
NAN