Lagos State government has said it was working on a law to establish the Lagos State Oil Producing Areas Community Development Committee.
This it said forms part of efforts to ensure that relevant segments of the society including women, youths, traditional rulers and other stakeholders relevant to unhindered operation in oil-producing areas of the state are carried along and not short changed.
Commissioner for Energy and Mineral Resources, Olalere Odusote made this known at the Lagos State Oil Producing Areas Community Relations Committee Engagement Forum held at Badagry
According to Odusote, the ratification of the law and the introduction of a Lagos State Oil Producing Areas Community Relations (Omnibus) law, along with other pending and ongoing regulatory, judicial and state reforms, will make the state top community engagement standards compliant.
The Commissioner said the law was aimed at institutionalising the collaborative social responsibility effort that is put in place to ensure that relevant stakeholders including women, youths, traditional rulers, government officials and operating company representatives have a platform to advise government on different issues relevant to operation in our oil producing areas.
Assuring the inclusion of indigenes in the employment plan of the relevant companies operating within the communities, the Commissioner also promised to encourage oil companies to engage in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) intervention projects for the benefit of host communities which according to him will empower skilled and unskilled women and youths in the host communities
The Commissioner also assured stakeholders that the Badagry Youth Conference will hold as scheduled.
“We have obtained the necessary approvals from Mr Governor for the conference to hold. In the next few weeks the Ministry will announce the modalities for the conference.
