By Simon Ebegbulem
BENIN—SECRETARY to Edo State Government, Prof. Julius Ihonvbere, has tasked oil companies operating in the state, to provide basic amenities to their host communities, explaining that “it is the only solution to restiveness in communities.”

Ihonvbere spoke yesterday in Benin City at a stakeholders’ forum with  the theme, Effective Corporate Social Responsibility: A Tool for Sustainable Peace In Oil Producing Communities, organised by the state Ministry of Solid Minerals, Oil and Gas.

Stressing the need for oil producing communities to be  cautious and civil in their demands for social amenities and jobs creation from the oil and gas companies, Ihonvbere noted that the oil and gas sector had remained the main stay of the nation’s  economy.

He said: “Edo State Government, in line with the provisions of the law setting up the Edo State Oil and Gas Producing Areas Development Commission, EDSOGPADEC, has been providing both capacity for human development and basic amenities such as roads, water, electricity, schools, health centres, skills acquisition centres, markets, to mention but a few,”  adding that  the forum was another milestone in the quest by the state government “to remind us of our duty to ourselves at all times.”

Earlier, Commissioner for Solid Mineral, Oil and Gas, Mr. Isimemen Iriogbe, said the ministry was always ready to assist host communities with conflict resolution that could have degenerated into disruption in operations and other crisis.