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Dayo Johnson, Akure

The multinational Oil company, Chevron Nigeria Limited, has donated personal protective equipment and water surviving equipment to fishermen and residents of eight in communities in Ilaje local council area of Ondo state.

Donation of the items was to ensure the safety of the fishermen and residents in the oil rich communities.

Making the donation in Awoye community in Ilaje local council area, the Chairman of the Ilaje Regional Development Committee, Barrister Adeyemi Abiye said the committee would continue to work closely with Chevron towards ensuring that the communities get all what belongs to them as host communities of the multinational oil company.

Abiye also promised to apply for more seed funds towards improving the lives of women and youths in the area.

“The donation is from the seed money, Chevron donates to Regional Development Committees for quick impact projects.

He called on residents of the area to embrace peace so that they can benefit more from the oil company.

Speaking during the ceremony, Community leaders, including the Baale of Awoye, Happiness Abiye and the Baale of Mese, Chief Ilemobayo Mese thanked the leaders of the Ilaje regional development committee for the timely gesture.

.They said that the gesture would go a long way in improving lives of residents of the area.

According to Abiye, “our people here are predominantly fishermen, they go to the high sea, they need to have the equipment, so that if there are any issues on the high sea, they have their safety equipment on so they will be safe”.

“You can see the standard of the safety jackets, it is the best you can get anywhere”

He pointed out that plans are on to also empower “the women and youth so that they can also see themselves as part of the community”

He called on residents of the area to embrace peace so that they can “access more benefits”

“The women wing, youths, the elders, baales and everybody must be at peace with Chevron so that they can operate under a peaceful environment and the mandate areas would benefit.

Fire extinguisher, raincoats and others were also distributed to the fishermen while, tables, chairs and public address systems were distributed to the communities.