KRPC: Giving New Meaning to CSR

-By Benjamin Ike

As a pointer to its pivotal Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) project, a self-regulatory business model that helps a company to be socially accountable to itself, stakeholders and the public at large, the Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company (KRPC) recently at the graduation ceremony of the ninth edition of its Youth Empowerment and Skills Acquisition Programme (YESAP) restated its commitment to the scheme which has turned out about a thousand (1000) graduates so far.

Speaking in his welcome address on the occasion, the Managing Director, Engr. Adewale Ladenegan who was represented by the company’s Executive Director Services Abdullahi Idris said YESAP was conceived as a capacity-building initiative targeted at the youths of KRPC host communities. He said the programme was not only a vision of ensuring that they acquire significant skills and empowerment to emerge ready products for the increasingly competitive labour market, but more importantly as job creators.

According to him the concept of YESAP is based on the awareness that when youths are empowered with vocational skills, they become good entrepreneurs and do great things that would power the nation’s economy maintaining that the KRPC YESAP has recorded successes over the years with immense benefits to the host communities where about a thousand youths have so far been empowered over the past seven years.

In his own remarks, the Chief Operating Officer (COO), Refineries and Petrochemicals of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mr Anibor Kragha said skills acquisition contributes greatly to the elimination of joblessness, development of positive attitude towards work as well as development of entrepreneurial ability, and building self-reliant youths which ultimately lead to technological advancement with its concomitant reduction of poverty and crime rate in the society.

Represented by the General Manager, Support Services, Mr Oibiokpa Ogale, the COO insisted that the KRPC deserves commendation for setting up YESAP which he said is targeted at curtailing societal vices such as terrorism, kidnapping and sectarian strife among others which are attributable to youth unemployment or idleness.

The out-going Group Managing Director (GMD) of NNPC, Dr. Maikanti Baru could not agree more. Describing the Youth Empowerment and Skills Acquisition Programme of KRPC as key to the economic development of the nation, Dr. Baru said he was gratified to learn that almost a thousand youths have so far been trained in various trades and presented with business-starters to make them self-reliant.

Dr. Baru who was represented by Group General Manager in-charge of Special Duties, Alhaji Nuhu Mohammed, said the concept is a pointer to the resolve of NNPC as a corporation towards youth empowerment especially to the host communities.

The out-going GMD said KRPC’s initiative in identifying the youth as a critical and vital segment of the citizenry and empowering them to contribute to social development is a sign of commendable management through corporate social responsibility.

And also having been impressed by the progress made by YESAP, the Governor of Kaduna state, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai said: “We are delighted by KRPC’s leadership and the deep sense of commitment to make a difference in Kaduna state… and I hope other organizations will emulate KRPC and offer similar training to increase employment opportunities among the youths”

Meanwhile the First Lady Mrs Aisha Buhari had lauded the KRPC for transforming the lives of youths of Kaduna state and the commitment to community development through its YESAP programme.

The First Lady who spoke through the Co-ordinator of her pet project, “Future Assured”, Hajia Binta Mu’azu said the importance of the initiative of KRPC YESAP cannot be overemphasized, while charging other organizations both in the formal and informal sectors to take a cue from the KRPC in improving the standard of living of youths by providing skills training, setting up businesses, provision of equipment and monitoring for successful performance.