Wednesday, December 23, 2009

TULLOW SUPPORTS HASCO AND TWO DISTRICTS (PAGE 11, DEC 23)

TULLOW Ghana has renovated and presented a complete set of laboratory and science equipment to the Half Assini Senior High School (HASCO) in the Jomoro District in the Western Region to boost the study of science.
The company has also cut the sod for the construction of 14 boreholes in the Ellembelle and Ahanta West districts in fulfilment of its promise to help improve the standard of living for people in communities within its catchment area.
Mr Kofi Esson, Government and External Relations Officer for Tullow Oil, noted that many day-to-day activities of the world revolved around science and research and it was, therefore, important to support institutions in the provision of facilities to train manpower in those areas.
He said it was important to create more skilled manpower in the areas of science and technology and Tullow, with education as part of its social responsibility, would do all within its power to help.
That, he said, could not be achieved if the foundation of students was not secured.
He said education, good health care system and respecting the cultural values of the communities they operated in were very important to them, saying, “we will do everything possible to ensure that we are not seen as a people with only business interest to protect but part of the communities and very sensitive to the needs of the people”.
The Western Regional Minister, Mr Paul Evans Aidoo, commended the company for embarking on social responsibilities ahead of actual production next year.
He said water, good health and education were very important to the people in rural communities, but “regrettably, access to safe drinking water along the coastal communities and other parts of the country had the scarcest commodity”.
The minister noted that the region’s many endowed streams were seriously polluted by reckless human activities, especially galamsey, which has made life very uncomfortable for the people in the communities.
He said Tullow’s decision to renovate and equip the science laboratory of HASCO and provide water to more than 14 communities was good.
Mr Aidoo said it was important to note that most companies in the region were moving from the profit-motive models and becoming socially responsible.
That new concept, he said, would improve the existing socio-industrial harmony as the indigenes deemed these companies as their partners in development, which were socially responsible and accountable for the economic, social and environmental impact of their business decisions to those within their operational areas.

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