Daewoo Engineering and Construction Nigeria Limited (DECN) says its Community Development Programme, which aims at building the capacity of indigenes of Bonny Local Government Area of Rivers State by arming them with various skill sets, was its own way of giving back to the society.

Community Affairs and Security (CAS) Manager of the DECN, Elder Anderson Minakiri Jaja said this in an interview with Kristina Reports on Wednesday, January 11, 2023, during the kick-start of the programme at the DECN Welding School inside the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Limited (NLNG) Industrial Complex in Bonny Island, Rivers State.

He said it was also a demonstration of the company’s appreciation for the conducive atmosphere and hospitable disposition of the Amanyanabo of Grand Bonny Kingdom and his people, stressing that the positive disposition of the Bonny Monarch and his people has given the company the conducive environment to thrive in its business.

“Yes, Daewoo is trying to give back to the community. It is trying to empower her people; this is capacity building for the people. We want to specially appreciate His Royal Majesty, King Edward Asimini William Dappa Pepple III; the King of Grand Bonny. He’s been a wonderful Man, a royal father who has the heart for his community and his people, and not just the people of Bonny alone.”

“DECN is truly grateful to Bonny King and Nigeria for our development through the Nigeria PJ. So, DECN will continue to make efforts for shared growth and community development and will continue to create more opportunities in the future.”

“He is a father we’ve come to know that has a large heart for Nigerians, as a whole, and not just Nigerians, even the international community; and you can see the evidence everywhere.”

“This training in Bonny Island is to ensure capacity building where welders are trained, and they come up as persons with professional handwork to be able to help the project, and not only the project; after this project, they go further and become professional persons in society.”

“It’s not enough, this is just the first batch, and once these persons are through in three months, others will be taken as well.  They’ll go through this phase of training and once they are qualified, they are absorbed into the project just like that.”

“So, the kingdom will have people who are going to be professionally qualified fitting into anywhere in the world to do welding jobs and other trainings that may come up thereafter with all amount of seriousness.”

In a chat with Kristina Reports, one of the beneficiaries, Emmanuella Green, who hails from Green’s Iwoama in Bonny Local Government Area, said “I’m very happy to be here,” noting that the training affords her an opportunity for self-development and preparing for the future, thanking DECN for the opportunity.

“For me personally, it’s self-development and it’s the future for me. So, I’m very happy to be trained in welding and fabrication. It’s something that interests me. As per the organizers, Daewoo E&C, I say thank you very much for this opportunity.”

Also speaking, another trainee, Sonny Ernest Allaputa, who hails from Akiama Village in Bonny LGA, expressed happiness over the opportunity to participate in the training, saying he was thrilled to be trained and equipped with skills that he can use to his advantage in the future.

“I’m happy to be one of the trainees. I was expecting this since. I’ll be one of the trainees to be trained to give me a skill and I believe that if I am trained in this school and given the skill, I’ll use it in the future for the company.”

“We heard that they will also absorb me as a welder after the training. So, I’m very, very happy. I also give thanks to those that contributed to this very training. God will bless them.”

“There are so many colleagues there who are not doing anything, who doesn’t have skill. I believe after this training, they will be all skilled and have something to do for themselves and their families, so, I’m very happy.”

The trainees participating in the programme, which is being sponsored by Daewoo Engineering and Construction Nigeria Limited (DECN), were drawn from various communities across Bonny LGA.

Daewoo Engineering and Construction Nigeria Limited is contractor to engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) implementer for the Train 7 project for the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Limited (NLNG). It comes into the construction space with several years antecedent of successful project delivery trajectory having delivered several high profile projects in different parts of Nigeria.