ExxonMobil, operators of NNPC/MPN Joint venture has disclosed that it has remitted over N67.5 Billion to the Niger Delta Development Commission, starting from its inception in 2001 till date (2021).
It could be recalled that the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio had said that the international oil companies were not paying their 3 percent contributions to the interventionist agency.
But the Manager, Media and Communications, ExxonMobil, Ogechukwu Udeagha in an interaction with correspondents of national media houses in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State capital as part of activities to mark the correspondents’ week, said such an assertion was not applicable to them as ExxonMobil had remitted over N6.5 Billion to NDDC in its 19 years of operation.
Speaking on the theme of the week, “Post-COVID-19: Economy and the Challenges to Ethical Journalism ahead of 2023 elections,” Udeagha said the company has not relented in giving its corporate social responsibilities as shown in some of its social investments in the areas of its operations.
On the allegation that the company is not paying taxes to Akwa Ibom State government, Udeagha said the employees pay up to N7 Billion to the State government every month as tax.
He said, “70 per cent of our staff live and work here in Akwa Ibom State and we pay about N7 billion tax to the State government through Pay As You Earn, PAYE and of course the 13 percent derivation. You can, therefore, realize the impact we are making on the state’s economy. We are closely linked with the state government and it’s important that we work together.”
Udeagha warned that Nigeria would lose over 90per cent of its foreign exchange earnings if crude oil falls, adding, ”so let’s make the most out of this resource while we still have time. Our crude oil reserves are in billions of barrels, so we need to tap them and use such revenue to add value to our economy.”
