By Moses Ebosele, ebosele@hotmail.com —
Okomu Oil Palm Company Plc has trained executive members of neighbouring communities on how to manage projects situated in their respective communities effectively.
The Acting Managing Director of the Company, Mr Leo Shagi, while declaring the training opened urge participants to make good use of the knowledge and ensure projects cited in their communities are sustained for the benefit of all and in order to justify the cost of the projects.
According to the company’s communication officer, Fidelis Olise, this year’s training was designed to maximize the gains of the projects executed in the communities under the Corporate Social Responsibility programme.
Olise explained that it is one thing to execute a project in a community and it is another thing to effectively manage these projects, sustainably, for the benefit of all.
He noted that if the projects were not effectively managed, they became a liability to both the company and the communities.
He noted further that over the past years, the company has executed over one hundred and sixty (160) meaningful projects in the communities which included but were not limited to schools, health centres, town halls, boreholes and the like.
The Okomu Oil Palm Company PLC with three (3) concessions in Edo State was established in 1975 as a pilot scheme for oil palm development.
Over the years, the company has grown to have four lines of oil palm production and producing 135 tons of oil per hour at full capacity and is currently the biggest Agricultural company on the Nigerian Stock exchange and consistently gives investors good returns.
As a responsible agricultural company, Okomu Oil Palm Company has received numerous certifications which include Round Table on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), ISO 14001, 90001 and 45001 as well as Halal
Speaking at the end of the training session, the participants thanked the company, not only for bringing projects and development to their communities but going further to inculcate in them, knowledge and skills that will help community members to effectively utilize and manage these projects sustainably in future.
The training was anchored by Richard Amayo who is a project management consultant.
As part of an effort to maintain cordial relations and to positively impact the communities, the company organizes two interactive sessions with the various communities every year.
