By Anderson Hart
LAGOS SEPTEMBER 9TH (URHOBOTODAY)-As momentum to understand and familiarize himself with the people, corporate bodies, companies and strategic institutions in his constituency continue to receive huge compliments, the Rivers state House of Assembly member representing Bonny constituency, Hon. Blessing Abinye Pepple once again led a delegation on a  familiarization visit to multinational oil giant, Shell where he met with SPDC’s management including Head of Terminal Bonny Island, Chuka Njoku and the Bonny Terminal Superintendent, Samson Olibale at the Shell industrial Area (IA) in Port Harcourt.
Speaking the lawmaker noted that the visit was part of his familiarization tour of companies and corporate entities within his constituency. He said one of the aims of the visit was to canvass for SPDC’s support, commitment and participation towards facilitating completion of the lingering Bonny/Bomu road. According to him the completion of the road which regrettably has lingered for about 40 years would have been a major carriage way for an island playing host to one of Nigeria’s foremost gateway to its national economic resource.
Further speaking, he said in spite of easing and providing an alternative means of transportation, the road will bring about stimulation of the local economy, provide a channel for the transportation of goods and services and open frontiers of economic opportunities.
Speaking on internal roads, the Bonny Lawmaker said there should be demonstration of efforts in assisting Bonny kingdom to construction more internal roads – this according to him should be part of the company’s corporate social responsibility to its host community.
While advocating for a review of the Bonny master plan which he said is 17 years down the line, Hon. Pepple emphasize the need for such review to accommodate present realities as it concerns infrastructural development and new vistas in global trends.
On working closely, he said there is need to maintain a cordial working relationship between “SPDC and the constituency office so that together efforts can be galvanized towards adding value to the community and its people while the company enjoy the best from their critical stakeholders.
Commending the company he expressed appreciation to the SPDC management following sustained effort in piloting the Undergraduate scholarship scheme. However, he recommended that the programme should be expanded to accommodate Bonny graduates forum especially in the area of capacity building to effectively prepare them to be employable.
In his remark the Bonny Terminal Superintendent, Samson Olibale commended the lawmaker for finding it expedient to visit; he assured him that the visit will open new channels of communication and in turn translate to opportunities and cordial relationship between SPDC, the constituency office and of course to the host community.
He assured the lawmaker that all submissions made shall be adequately conveyed to management even as he thanked him and his delegation for the visit.
Hon. Blessing Abinye Pepple was accompanied in the visit by, Former Rivers state Women affairs commissioner, Toru Ofili, PDP chairman Bonny LGA, Simon Hart, PDP Secretary, Charles Jumbo among others.