Oil Companies Urged to Develop Indigenous Capacity
-By Fred Ojiegbe
Oil firms operating in Rivers State have been called upon to invest massively in human capacity development, in order to produce the needed manpower to drive the economy of the country and complement government’s efforts to improve the lives of the people.
The call was made by the Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Education, Mr. Dagogo Adonye-Hart while speaking at the Shell Petroleum Development Company, SPDC, 2018 LiveWIRE presentation of business start-up awards in Port Harcourt, recently.
Hart said it was time for oil companies to emulate SPDC by putting the development of the state at fore, adding that when priority is given to human capacity development, the region would witness peace, economic revival, and transformation, thereby creating a conducive environment for investment.
He commended SPDC for always getting involved with the progress of the youths while charging other multinationals operating in the state to emulate Shell in youth empowerment.
According to him, “When the people were better equipped to face the challenges of life, there would be peace and harmony, fewer incidents of kidnapping, violent crimes and criminalities, pipeline vandalism, among others.
“If all the companies engage in one laudable project or the other, government’s commitment to creating employment opportunities for the youths and efforts to curb crime and criminality in the state and region would achieve meaningful results.
“We have always been in partnership with Shell; Shell is always involved with the progress of the youths, not only in education. Education is not only about going to school to read and write but having an educated mindset, knowing what to do and solving problems.
“If other companies will emulate Shell in youths empowerment, youth restiveness in the Niger Delta will reduce.”
Also, the General Manager, External Relations, SPDC, Mr. Igo Weli said a total of 7072 entrepreneurs from the Niger Delta region have been produced from the Shell Petroleum Development Company Limited, SPDC’s Livewire program since it was inaugurated in 2003.
Weli explained that Shell LiveWire program provides training and finance for young entrepreneurs in the Niger Delta to set up and grow their businesses, as well as enables young people to start their own businesses and create employment for themselves and others.
“The LiveWire Nigeria was launched in Nigeria in 2003 and has produced 7,072 Niger Delta entrepreneurs, most of whom are now employs of labour. Some of the beneficiaries have also been given the opportunity to play in SPDC’s supply chain as vendors and have been linked to growth capital from other agencies.
“Shell LiveWire provides budding young entrepreneurs with access to the essential ideas into a viable and sustainable business. We hope that with legitimate alternative means of livelihoods, our young men and women will turn their backs on vices.”
Shell LiveWIRE is our global flagship social investment Enterprise Development programme, with the vision to strengthen local economies by promoting entrepreneurship, innovation and meaningful employment.
Shell LiveWIRE brings positive social impacts to communities, contributing to local business development, job creation, and innovative social and economic solutions. Each year it supports thousands of entrepreneurs to turn their bright ideas into a sustainable business, in turn creating wider employment and income opportunities.
The programme started in Scotland in 1982 and now runs in 15 countries where we operate.
The objectives for the LiveWIRE Programme in Nigeria are to; Raise business awareness amongst final year university students to encourage them to see starting a business as a valid career option; Assist youths to discover and develop business ‘ideas’ through Bright Ideas Workshops; Make available to youths that want to go on to start a business, business planning and management guidelines and skills through the Become A Successful Owner Manager Course (BSOM); Run awards for best business plans, the price of which gives access to micro-credit facilities, through third parties like banks, NGOs and allied financial institutions; Run an award for young people who have sustained a business for 2 to 3 years and continue the award on an annual basis; Provide a volunteer mentoring programme for those who have completed the training course and decide to pursue starting their own business. Mentors can be drawn from oil & gas, banking, social voluntary sectors, etc; Print and provide information on youth enterprise at LiveWIRE Resource Centres; Target Beneficiaries are youths within the age bracket of 18 to 30 years.
