Empowerment Scheme: Belema Oil Doles Out N30m To Rex Jim Lawson’s Ex-Band Member, 9 Others
Indigenous oil and gas giants, Belema Oil Producing Limited, has again put smiles on the faces of people of the Niger Delta region with the disbursement of over N30m to ten beneficiaries of an empowerment scheme geared towards improving their lot.
Speaking during the presentation ceremony held at the company’s corporate head office in Port Harcourt on Monday, the Acting Managing Director, Engr. Mufa Welsh said the gesture was part of what he termed the ‘Belema Model’ where time and money is expended by the company to assist community-based individuals who have capacity to develop themselves.
Welsh, who is also the company’s Director in-charge of Production/Engineering, said the sole idea behind the Belema Model is to serve as avenue to generate employment for people of the host communities as well as the Niger Delta region at large.
He told the beneficiaries: “As we empower you today, you will have to empower others by creating employment for them. A lot of people applied but you are the lucky ones. So, you must appreciate this selfless gift by using them judiciously”.
The Acting MD reminded the beneficiaries that the empowerment scheme is a joint venture with the NNPC, adding that his company would evaluate their performances after 30 days of receipt of their cheques and convey the results back to its partner.
He added that where the company was not satisfied with their performances, necessary steps would be taken to recover the money, which he noted was a gift and not a loan.
The beneficiaries cut across Rivers State as one of them, a famous singer known as Baba Sempe from Kolokuma in Bayelsa State, also benefited from the scheme receiving N5m which he disclosed would be used to fund his soon to be released new album.
Interestingly, another of the beneficiaries of the gift was Tamunoemi Deble Gold who hailed from Buguma, headquarters of Asari Toru Local Government Area and featured prominently as a member of late highlife maestro, Cardinal Rex Jim Lawson’s musical band.
Now a fisherman, Gold pocketed the sum of Five Million Naira and said he would use the money from Belema Oil to buy musical instruments to enhance his musical career.
He expressed appreciation to the President/Founder of Belema Oil Producing, Jackrich Tein Jnr who in addition to the empowerment largesse, built for him a one-storey apartment in his home town, Buguma.
Other recipients of the gift include Membre Anabs from Kula, Ebi Peters, Gloria Ekaro, Immanuel Harry Jones, Pastor Dennis Johnbull Eferebo (a publisher), Ibiere Bright, Horsefall Abiye and Bethel Oko-Jaja who also received N5m to boost his fish farm business.
