Itsekiri RDC to commission 56 projects, clear outstanding scholarships

The Itsekiri Regional Development Committee (IRDC), one of the community-based organizations established and funded by the NNPC/CNL Joint Venture, under the Global Memorandum of Understanding, (GMoU) with the Delta State Government, Chevron Nigeria Limited and Itsekiri Communities around CNL operations, is set to commission 56 infrastructural projects and pay outstanding tertiary and secondary schools’ scholarships to beneficiaries from the communities.

The projects which are to be inaugurated in no fewer than 21 of the 23 IRDC communities include: Agric Farm Project at Tisun Community and Town Hall at Eghoro, both in Warri North Local Government Area. Others are 54 two-bedroom detached bungalows spread across the communities, which aims to help address the housing challenges in the area.

Chairman of the IRDC Communications Sub Committee, Barr. Oti Edukugho who made the disclosure on behalf of IRDC Chairman, Amb. Austin Oniyesan explained that the outstanding tertiary and secondary schools’ scholarships from 2013 would soon be paid.

Edukugho said the effective functioning of the IRDC had been hindered by court cases that were sponsored by people who do not understand how the GMoU functions. “The GMoU process is operated under a governance model that ensures transparency and accountability. We are happy that the recent court judgement has given the IRDC the opportunity to deliver the much-needed development to the RDC Communities,” he added.

According to him, the 13 tertiary and 39 secondary schools’ scholarship beneficiaries for 2013/2014 academic session, 116 tertiary and 165 secondary schools’ scholarship beneficiaries for 2014/2015 academic calendar is set to be cleared to date.

While noting that the leadership of IRDC always verify the authenticity of the students before making payment, Barr. Edukugho disclosed that 280 tertiary and secondary schools’ students from the Itsekiri communities are to benefit in the scholarship programme for the 2015/2016 academics session.

When contacted, Esimaje Brikinn, CNL’s General Manager, Policy Government and Public Affairs congratulated the IRDC for taking the steps to commission the projects. According to him, “CNL takes its role as a corporate citizen in Nigeria seriously and continues to demonstrate its commitment to responsible corporate citizenship through social investment programmes that promote health, education and economic development in communities around our operational areas and beyond.

“The successes we have recorded generally through the GMoU reinforce CNL’s belief that the community-driven participatory model can stimulate quicker community development than processes and systems designed without effective participation of the communities and other relevant stakeholders,” he said.

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