By Emma Amaize & Perez Brisibe

ASABA—MANAGING Director of Presco Plc, an agro-industrial establishment in Edo State, Mr. Felix Nwabuko, has described as spurious, claims by some persons that the company was harassing and chasing away  indigenes of Ovre-Eku and other communities in Delta State with security agents over land issues.

Nwabuko said: “Anywhere you go, you will always have some misguided elements. There have been series of publications that Presco has driven locals residing in that area away,  but thank God, security agents comprising the Department of Security Services, DSS and Police have all visited the place and found out that they are lies.”

He spoke to Vanguard at the company’s Obaretin Estate, near Benin City, during an end of year dinner/award night for staff of the company.

Revealing that the company has been a blessing to the people contrary to the dangerous information peddled about it, he said: “It is only a matter of time before we will start seeing the impact that Presco’s activity is making in that place.

“We are going to develop one of the best oil palm estates there (Ovre Eku). The particular community remains there and will continue to be there. It will form part of our host community. It will enjoy the benefit that comes from our corporate social responsibility, even some of those who are propagating the lies will enjoy the benefits.”

“If you check  our workforce, last year, we were counting a workforce of about 4, 500 employees,  but as at November, 2017, we are counting  about 5,600 and in that project alone,  we have employed a minimum of about 1, 300 persons within one year. And as we continue to expand, we will employ more and many of these people are within that community  crying wolf.”

“On the propaganda against Presco by some people, who think they will lose what they have been enjoying and telling the lies. You know that we are not a typical crude oil company, but an agricultural company that is planting palm trees and the bulk of our workforce are locals, so we are not going to frighten workers from other parts of Nigeria,” he said.