The Delta State Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, has been honoured by oil companies operating in the state for creating a conducive atmosphere for their operations.
The companies presented the award to him on Thursday, with the Governor emphasising on peace building in the state.
Okowa said his determination from his first day in office was to prioritise peace building and partnership among communities to make the state investor-friendly.
He said: “We knew from the beginning that we needed the oil companies and the oil companies needed us and in that warm friendship and partnership we could both thrive better.
“There are so many levels of partnership we have to build because, from the beginning, we came with the agenda of peace in preference to crises.
“Peace-building does not totally ensure that there is no crisis, but when there is a crisis, we manage the crisis.
“We are to build peace to limit the level of crisis, duration of the crisis and we have believed in that.
“We want to reassure you that by the special grace of God, Delta State will continue to be in peace and ensure that we have the best as well as the operational environment, which you need to grow in your industry.
“This does not mean that we did not have issues along the line.
“There is no doubt that we have had issues at some point between you and various communities.
“But ours is to continually intervene and it is for me to properly brief the incoming administration on the need to continue to build peace and to build this partnership because it worked for us.”
Earlier, the leader of the delegation and External Relations Manager of Shell Petroleum Development Company, Evans Krukrubo, said oil companies in the state honoured the governor for his contributions to operational excellence, which had made the state investor friendly.
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