An industrialist and major player in the oil and gas sector, Ambassador Joseph Precious Stephen has stressed the need for communities in the Niger Delta region to be more receptive of companies executing development projects in the region.
Ambassador Stephen stated this when a delegation of the Defense for Human Rights and Democracy (DHRD) led by its Chairman, Comrade Clifford Christopher Solomon, paid him a courtesy call at his fabrication yard in Port Harcourt.
Stephen, who is the Chief Executive Officer of JoePreStep Company, said in other parts of the country communities usually welcome community development projects and do everything possible to support the contractors and companies executing the projects.
He said, “If you go to the north, the people there contribute and give you food. If you go to the east they were giving us rice and other things. But when we come to the Niger Delta, you will see the community giving you unnecessary demands. And because you cannot bring outsiders, they make demands that are difficult to meet.
“They are doing water project for you. They cannot bathe or drink the ocean water there and they cannot use it to wash clothes. The people will give you condition before you can even to do the water project. They are asking for marching ground and all sorts of levies.”
He said access to credit is also a challenge to industrialists here. He said in a place like China long term loans with low interest rates are given to manufacturers.
“Here if you go t the bank, they will ask you of certificate of occupancy before they can give you loan. So in the area of access to funds, if we get it, it will help us bring in our materials within a short time and deliver projects,” he said.
Power supply is another area where he said they were having challenges. “We burn fuel here from morning till night. We keep buying generators to keep going. We use Kpofire diesel, which is not too good for our plants,” he said.
Amb Stephen, who has been commended for training and empowering youths from the Niger Delta and beyond, noted that as many youths that were ready to undergo training, he would absorb and train them to take up positions in the industry.
He said there are instances where National Youth Service Corps members have been accepted trained and engaged after their service year. He said apart from paying them, the company provides them with accommodation and feeding.  Â
Comrade Solomon said the DHRD did a survey and discovered that Amb Stephen has been widely acknowledged for his philanthropic gestures, which has not only seen to the empowerment of youths and women, but has also helped many communities overcome their welfare challenges.
“The grassroots, the farmers, and even okada riders told us that you reach out to them one after the other. So we said we should formally come and say thank you for the good work you are doing to mankind and humanity. We pray you continue,” Solomon said.
By Emmanuel Obe and Clifford Christopher Solomon
