Intels Donates N1.2bn Ultramodern Market to Onne Community
The management of Nigeria’s oil and gas logistics giant, INTELS Nigeria Limited, has constructed and donated an ultramodern market to the Onne community in Rivers State.
The General Manager of Intels Nigeria Limited, Mr. Silvano Bellinato, while speaking in Onne at the weekend, said the ultramodern market was built at the cost of N1.2 billion.
He said the facility was built as part of the company’s corporate social responsibility (CSR).
According to him, the company’s CSR focuses on critical areas of intervention including creation of employment, empowerment and provision of development projects for host communities.
He said Intels adopts an integrated participatory approach to its CSR and community development projects.
“At INTELS, our CSR is tailored to create an environment in which the host communities and the company become fundamentally interdependent, where understanding is mutual and commitment to growth and development total,” he said.
Bellinato added that the company also provides scholarships and employment to indigent and physically-challenged students, in addition to instituting various empowerment programmes for youth and women. He said no fewer than 66 physically-challenged persons have been granted scholarships by the company, adding that the scholarship scheme, which was set up in 2003, covers primary, secondary and tertiary education.
Some of the beneficiaries enjoyed the scholarship from primary school through to tertiary education, attaining professional qualifications in various fields of human endeavours.
The beneficiaries also have the opportunity of working at Intels after completing their education if they so desire.
The Intels General Manager also said that more than 700 women have been trained and empowered by the company through its internationally acclaimed Women Empowerment Programme Scheme Synergy (WEPSS).
He noted that WEPSS was established in 2013 with the vision of empowering 5,000 community women over a 20-year period through training in fashion design and tailoring.
He said to ensure successful implementation of the WEPSS initiative, Intels acquired and made available over 300 sewing and specialised machines and built a 5,000-square metres garment manufacturing factory at the Federal Lighter Terminal (FLT), Onne, Rivers State, for the training.
Bellinato said the company remains resolute in enhancing the lives of people in its area of operation, and remains committed to the development of communities in the area.
Intels Nigeria Limited has won several awards and commendation, at bothnationalandinternationallevels, for itsexemplarycommunitydevelopment and empowerment programmes.
Recently, the company was honoured by the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) – an agency of government under the Federal Ministry of Transportation – for its outstanding contribution to the development of its host communities.