<p>At a time co-operation has become an administrative compass for public policies, culminating into Africa heads of government signing a free trade agreement- Africa Continent Free Trade Agreement, AfCFTA, Mr Esimaje Brikinn, General Manager, Policy, Government and Public Affairs of Chevron Nigeria, has explained how partnerships with NGOs, Government and stakeholders drive the oil giant’s developmental footprints across Nigeria as part of its strategic social investment.</p>



<p>Speaking at the September
breakfast meeting organized by the Nigerian-American Chamber of Commerce, NACC,
at Oriental Hotel, Lagos, with a theme “Strategic Social Investment: The
Chevron Nigeria Approach,  ;Brikinn
emphasized  ;that Chevron’s corporate
decision to employ  ;multi stakeholders
approach in  ;its social investment is
imbued in the age long wisdom that clapping with one hand doesn’t yield the
expected results. “You  ;cannot clap with
one hand to get the desired sound, ” he stated.</p>



<p>Chevron, largest domestic
gas supplier to the Nigerian market, ; he
explained, has been around for 60 years,  ;producing “clean gas,” ; growing  ;business and adding value to lives in and
beyond its operating environment. He added that Chevron  ;believes  ;in engaging the  ;people to achieve their needs, a development
that convinces the people of their stake in Chevron’s business objectives.</p>



<p> ; ;“Engagement
is important because we make the people feel they are part of us. Our Global Memorandum
of Understanding, GMoU, is a multi stakeholder’s participatory model for
community engagement and sustainable development. We spend human and financial resources
to keep the model running. It is important to us. There is also Partnership Initiative
for Niger Delta, PIND, an NGO. It was single handedly floated by Chevron. It is
meant for strategic interventions in critical areas in Niger Delta. We have
spent about $90 million through these initiatives on projects in the region
since it was conceptualized,” he disclosed.</p>



<p>Chevron’s pays attention to
the specific  ;health, education and
economic  ;needs of the people within its
operating environment and beyond.</p>



<p>For instance,  ;the company has built 28 chest clinics across
Nigeria to deal with tuberculosis. That effort attracted a commendation from
the wife of the President, Aisha Buhari who applauded Chevron’s patriotic
interventions in areas outside its operating zone.</p>



<p>“That speaks for our pan
Nigerian spirit. We are however struggling to get things done in Yobe because
of Boko Haram . We have also built 38 science laboratories across Nigeria to
support the growth of science and technology,” he said.</p>



<p>These social engagements
with NGO, government and the people are key to Chevron as it enables the management
to arrive at workable solutions to problems.</p>



<p>Chevron exercises its
citizenship by investing in partnerships to combat HIV/AIDS, malaria,
tuberculosis, Zika, dengue fever and other infectious diseases in risk-prone
locations. </p>



<p>The company also intervenes
in malaria scourge through roll back malaria initiative and distribution of
preventable kits. “We do much in local community where malaria is prevalent. We
are active in de worming children. We took and partner with Glaxo in  ;de worming programme across schools in ; 10 States ,” Brikinn stated.</p>



<p>Between 2013-2018,
Chevron, with Pact, ; has successfully
intervened in the prevention of  ;transmission of HIV to unborn children. Bayelsa
State government, through the Secretary to the State Government, has acknowledged
this in a remark that “the ratio has reduced substantially.” </p>



<p>Education is
key. Government is overwhelmed with infrastructural deficit and Chevron recognizes
this. “We partner with government to contribute to education development like e
library, scholarship. These make substantial difference in building capacity in
children to be able to square up with future challenges. We even attend
graduation ceremonies of our scholars.”</p>



<p>All this, he
stated, has enabled the company  ;to
minimize conflicts so much so that indigenes in operating community  ;feel free to identify with the model in
conflict resolution. </p>



<p>“In our
strategic social investment, we consider impact on the locals and enhancing our
business. It has helped us to grow our business. It is not about throwing money
around. It has helped our business to stabilize. It has also helped in
substantial capacity building in the communities we operate. The model helps us
to identify risk in our operations,” he submitted.</p>



<p>In the
pursuit of an idea environment for the preservation of fauna and flora in the
ecosystem, Chevron built the Lekki Conservation Centre and donated it to
National conservation Centre. To keep it going, the oil giant has drawn its
account to about N60 million.</p>



<p>The company
began implementing local content policy before it was signed into law by
government. “We recognize the poverty level in those communities and we are
keen on how they survive. We encourage community participation in our business through
award of contracts to indigenes. Our local boat suppliers are now competing
with international players in vessels.”</p>



<p>“We do
evaluation every four years to identify what is working and not working. Every
stakeholder is involved. It has helped in keeping the model alive and this
delivers Chevron’s ultimate social investment,”Brikinn said. </p>



<p>Earlier in
his welcome address, Alhaji Sheriff Balogun, Deputy President of the chamber
dwelt extensively on the imperatives of social investment. He submitted that
given the mirage of challenges confronting the entire system, government alone
cannot solve all the problems. He therefore, advocated strategic social
investment by other multinationals to achieve the much expected all- round
developments.</p>

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