In consonance with its sustainable development goals, Total E&P Nigeria Limited (TEPNG) on Friday, 1^st August 2008; held a stakeholders meeting with Traditional Rulers/Community Leaders and some council officials from four coastal Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Akwa Ibom State. The meeting was held at the Sasun Hotel, Port Harcourt.

It was designed to set the tone for future meetings and partnership with the coastal communities of Eastern Obolo, Mbo, Ikot Abasi and Ibeno.

The 23-man Delegation from the communities was led by foremost rulers of the area including, HRM Obong (Dr.) Uwem Ukafia-Ede (Eastern Obolo), HRM Edidem Edet Antia Essan (Mbo), HRM Edidem U. J. Ntuk Obom XII (Ikot Abasi); and HRH Obong (Dr.) Effiong B. Archianga (Ibeno).

TEPNG's Delegation to the meeting was led by the General Manager, Sustainable Development, Mr. Vincent Nnadi. He was accompanied by the Manager, Sustainable Development Projects, Mr. Francis Oriakhi; Manager, Partnership Development, Mr. Blessing Nwaerema; Head, Partnership Development, Mr. Samuel Izidor who managed the event; and other relevant Heads of Sections.

Welcoming the representatives of the communities to the meeting, Mr. Nnadi observed that TEPNG has now been acknowledged as the oil and gas firm with the best community relations programmes and is determined to maintain it.

Mr. Nnadi subsequently made a presentation titled “Total Upstream Companies: Presence and Contributions in Akwa Ibom State.”

In their response, the communities commended the initiative of the company and its development efforts in the state but requested that the Akwa Ibom State Government should play the role of “Observer” in negotiations on Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the company and the communities in order to enhance the focus on the coastal areas.

“When you have programmes for the government do that for the government, when you have programmes for the community come and do that for us, “they said.