THE Ijaw Peoples Congress, IPC, has commended the chairman of First Marine and Engineering Services Limited, Chief Joseph Penawou, for sponsoring the Delta State Swimming Competition.

In a statement, President of the group, Mr Ekanpou Enewaridideke, while lauding Penawou for recently providing relief materials worth over N5million to displaced persons in Gbaramatu community said, “the swimming competition is very relevant in grass roots engagement of Niger Delta youths.”

According to Enewaridideke, “It is relevant in dramatizing  the promptness of First Marine and Engineering Services Limited in the discharge of its corporate responsibility as a company operating in the Niger Delta just as it is very prompt in sending relief materials to the devastated Gbaramatu communities in Warri south-west council.”

Besides, he noted that “Opportunities for discovery and development of latent talents are created.

It is the best way to engage the youths and catch them young so that Nigeria can maintain winning tempo in international swimming competitions. Companies operating in the Niger Delta should often sponsor competitions like this.First marine and engineering services limited sponsorship of the recent Delta state swimming competition which was won by Burutu council shows Chief Penawou’s passion for development of the latent talents in the Niger Delta.

Continuing, he said “It also indicates the corporate responsibility of the company. If wealthy Niger Deltans and oil companies can take a cue from this, it will help in addressing Niger Delta  enigma because the whole enigma demands pragmatic approach.”

“The swimming competition”, he said “further shows that we have a number of individuals and corporate bodies that are willing to partner with the government towards the resolution of the Niger Delta problem. Chief Joseph Penawou deserves kudos for his sponsorship of the recent Delta State swimming competition in which new talents that can take the country to the sky in international competitions were discovered.”