CITING the numerous benefits, which the Anglo-Dutch oil giant stands to get, Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa yesterday appealed the Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) to re-open its office in Delta State.
Okowa who spoke yesterday in Asaba when management of the SPDC led by Osagie Okunbor visited him argued that closing down its office in the state was not a good idea as the company still had a lot of business activities going on in the state, especially at Forcados Terminal where it still load crude oil.
He said that the multinational oil company had an office in Lagos despite not having its operations in the area, adding that it was important for the oil company to re-open its operational office and show more presence in the state where it still had an operational office.
He said: “We are glad that you (Shell) are still exporting crude through the Forcados Terminal and still have other assets in the state, Shell cannot wish Delta State away from its business relationship, we have a long shared relationship with Shell as one of its founding areas in the country, your leaving Delta State has some economic impact on the state, we would be glad to have your office back to the state.”
He said that his administration would do its best to protect and provide conducive business environment and the best of services for investors in the state.
The governor urged Shell and other corporate organisations to partner with the state in the areas of empowering the people, disclosing that the youth empowerment programmes of his administration had provided enough window for them to key in.
While disclosing that more than 60, 000 applications were received for the empowerment programmes, the governor stated that the programmes were well thought-out where the beneficiaries would be made to have a changed mind-set that would make them to be dedicated to achieving desired results.
