….Promises more initiatives provided the pipelines are working
The West African Gas Pipeline Company Limited (WAPCO) says it makes a yearly investment of has revealed a yearly investment of $750,000 in skill development, scholarships, and community programs across Nigeria, Ghana, Benin and Togo.
The initiative which is known as the Community Youth Employment Scheme (CYES), aims to empower host communities with vocational training and entrepreneurship support.
Dr. Isaac Adjei Doku, General Manager for Corporate Affairs at WAPCO, on Wednesday at the graduation ceremony for beneficiaries of WAPCO’s livelihood support programme in Otta, Ogun State emphasised the company’s commitment to community development beyond infrastructure projects such as schools and hospitals.
He explained that the company has evolved its approach to directly empower community members with livelihood programs, including scholarships and vocational training.
“We are identifying brilliant but needy individuals in our host communities and equipping them with skills through the CYES. This initiative is not just about training but also ensuring that beneficiaries have the tools to start their own businesses,” he said.
Doku highlighted Nigeria as a key beneficiary, with WAPCO operating across 56 communities along its pipeline corridor, spanning 56 kilometers onshore. The company believes that fostering a peaceful and cooperative relationship with these communities is crucial for its business operations.
“We feel that it’s our responsibility to put something back in the community, at certain times, as business, people underestimate cordial relationship and peaceful environment within which you operate the business but I think businesses ought to recognise that peace and cordiality can never put a price on it. And so as a business and again in fulfilling our bit of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, we believe that we have to put something back into the community because they give us the land, everything that we need to be able to operate successfully,” he explained.
The program provides vocational trainees with essential tools to kickstart their businesses post-training. This year, WAPCO is undertaking a documentary project to track and showcase the progress of its past beneficiaries across Nigeria, Ghana, Benin, and Togo.
“And we hope that by establishing their own businesses, they’ll be able to also help others within their communities and therefore lift a lot more people out of poverty,” he added.
Dr Doku further revealed that the company allocate at least $600 per one scholarship candidate, ensuring that their financial commitment remains steady over time and more funds is committed for the vocational students due to the post-training equipment given to them
He also emphasised WAPCO’s robust security framework, noting that community engagement has helped maintain a conflict-free operational environment for over two decades.
“Our right-of-way is protected through partnerships with local communities, who form security companies to oversee and safeguard our pipeline infrastructure, since the pipeline was built 20 years ago, we have not had a single incident of community-related disruptions and I think that’s because the community recognized that we put something back in it and we don’t take them for granted,” he said.
Local Government Chairman of Ado-Odo Ota, Hon. Lawal Adewale Wasiu, commended WAPCO for its continuous impactful investment in the community, aligning with the Ogun State government’s vision of implementing projects that improve citizens’ lives.
He encouraged the graduands to utilise their acquired skills to benefit others, fostering a train-the-trainer model to extend the program’s impact. He also reaffirmed the local government’s commitment to partnering with WAPCO and supporting infrastructure development efforts through its work department.
“WAPCO, we thank you very much and we still need more from you, as a government at the grassroot level we are ready to cooperate, collaborate and work with you. Presently, we are in the process of bringing back our work department in the local government because the department in the local government, is the engine room of every local government because that is where they carry out most of the infrastructure development,” he said.
The Oloja-Ekun of Igbesaland, Oba AbdulAzeez Akinde, also lauded WAPCO’s contributions, describing the initiative as a true investment in human capital.
He noted that not everyone will work in corporate settings, but with vocational training, individuals can create employment for themselves. The traditional ruler pledged continued support for WAPCO, affirming his commitment to providing an enabling environment for the company’s operations.
“I can see these type of investments you’re putting into my people and we can see the result as it’s more or less like a return on investment and I’m sure it makes you happy seeing the result of all your investments in them and I’m sure all the graduands, are quite delighted that you have given your time, money, your support to them and this is what I call true empowerment and the goal of it is that you are lifting my people out of poverty. On my own side from Igbesa kingdom, our input would be to continue to create an enabling environment for you, for your company to succeed,” he said.