The Nigerian Gas Company (NGC) Limited, a subsidiary of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Thursday pledged to support its host communities throughout the country.

Top management of the company made the pledge during the presentation of starter packs to 40 women drawn from its host communities in Asset Management North (AMN), covering Kogi and Edo States respectively.

he women were trained in five different vocations, including makeup artistry, fashion and design, computer, catering and hair dressing as part of the organisation’s empowerment programme at a ceremony held in Abuja,.

In an address, the Managing Director of the company, Mr. Seyi Omotowa, said the NGC organised the empowerment workshop for its host communities to empower women and enable them contribute positively to their families and the society.

Omotowa, who was represented by the Executive Director, Support Services, NGC, Mrs Uche Ossai, said that the company as a responsible and responsive organisation, was committed to building a strong and long-term relationship with its host communities.

“Our Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative prioritises our host communities’ well-being, and it is for this reason we have gathered here today.

“It can be recalled by participants here that an empowerment workshop was organised in 2016, where you were all in attendance and trained in different vocations such as fashion and design, computer, catering, hair dressing and makeup artistry. A total of 40 women between the age bracket of 20-40 years were selected from the communities by their community leaders and trained.

“The delivery of these starter packs to you today demonstrates NGC’s dedication to delivering on its promises, notwithstanding the time lag caused by budgetary restrictions and internal restructuring. I implore you to make the best possible use of the materials provided to you today to financially empower yourself,” he stated.

Omotowa said the NGC would continue to solicit the cooperation and assistance from its hosts in the maintenance of peace to ensure the company’s business growth aspirations for the benefit of the people in the communities and Nigerians generally.

He appreciated the traditional rulers, community leadership and the participants for their patience and understanding, stressing that it had further strengthened the existing cordial relationship with NGC and its host communities.

A representative of the NNPC, Deputy Manager, Community Impact Investment, Mrs. Helen Nkwo, appreciated NGC for what she described as the company’s outstanding disposition in meeting the commitments to its host communities urging the NGC to sustain the tempo.

While charging traditional rulers and community leaders to uphold the prevailing peace in their various domains, she admonished the beneficiaries to put to judicious use the starter packs to the benefit of society.

The traditional ruler of Ugbekpe-Ekperi in Edo State, who was represented by Mr. Idaewor Simeon, commended NGC for fulfilling its promises to the people of its host communities.

Also speaking, the Olu-Apata of Apata in Lokoja, Kogi State, Dr. Frederick Balogun, as well as Bajana of Obajana, solicited the cooperation of other traditional rulers and community leaders in ensuring that peace exists in their domains for NGC to thrive. [THIS DAY]