The hope of the Management of Agripalm, a division of Premium Edible Oil Products Limited operating without any encumbrance has been brightened as it has finally signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) of ease of doing business with host communities in Edo state.
The Nigerian Tribune reports that Agripalm Nigeria Limited, a reputable agro-based industry is located in the Ikoha and Ugbogui communities in Ovia West Local Government Area of Edo State.
Speaking at the signing of the MoU, Fatai Afolabi, the Managing Consultant and Chief Officer of Foremost Development Services Limited, said the negotiation for the MoU took more than one year.
He said the MoU will provide an enabling environment for the company to operate in the two communities as well as for the development of the communities.
Fatai, who facilitated the signing of the MoU, appealed to the management of the company and host communities to adhere to and implement strictly the contents of the MoU.
According to him, when Agripalm Ltd took over the erstwhile A & Hatman company, it has to develop the company in line with its own operational policies and standards, especially the intentional best practices and also more especially in line with the protocols of Round Table Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO).
“So, when the company took over it discovered some social limitations. One was the squabbles or rift between the two host communities to the extent that the two host communities were wrangling over who owns (ownership) the land or who owns what part of the land or boundary issues.
“The communities initially handed over the land to A & Hatman, and Agripalm acquired the property from A & Hatman.
“The interest of Agripalm is to regularize and normalize their possessions and especially to be able to key into the communities so that they could operate seamlessly and in line with their best practices and corporate social responsibility,” he said.
Speaking also, Celestine Umolu Ojeifo, Community Liaison Manager of Agripalm, assured that the company will do its part to implement the terms of the MoU as well as to continue to play its part in the provision of jobs and the development of the communities and the state.
On his part, the spokesperson for the communities, Monday Aighobahi, commended the management of the company, the leadership of the communities, and the mediator for brokering peace that resulted in the MoU.
Aighobahi, who assured that the communities will adhere to and implement the contents of the MoU as it relates to communities, however, appealed to the company not to renege on their own obligations.
Kelvin Uwaibi, managing director, of Edo State Investment Promotion Office (ESIPO) and Churchill Ebehitale Oboh, team lead, Edo State Oil Palm Programme (ESOPP), who commended the company and the communities for the MoU assured that the state government continue to do everything possible to attract investors and make the state conducive for them to operate.
The signing of the MoU was graced by elders and leaders of the two communities, top management of the company, Kelvin Uwaibi, managing director, Edo State Investment Promotion Office (ESIPO), Fatai Afolabi, the chief mediator that facilitated the drafting of the MoU.
Others are Churchill Ebehitale Oboh, team lead, Edo State Oil Palm Programme (ESOPP), and Damian Itebalumhe, team member, Edo State office of Ease of Doing Business Secretariat, who represented Osaze Ogbomo, the team leader of the office.
With the successful signing of the MoU, the coast is now clear for the company to operate in the communities without any encumbrance, or restiveness among others.
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