BUSINESS REPORTER
MUSCAT, Sept 28
Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) has committed to support a host of new initiatives to benefit communities and boost sustainable development across the Sultanate.
The initiatives include commitments in the key areas of health, safety and the environment, community infrastructure development as well as youth and women empowerment all of which are fully aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).
Eleven Memorandums of Collaboration (MoCs) confirming these commitments were signed at an official ceremony held under the auspices of Her Excellency Dr Laila bint Ahmed al Najar, Minister of Social Development, at the PDO Knowledge World venue in Muscat on Wednesday.
To support the provision of providing the best health services to citizens residing within the Company’s concession area, PDO is funding the purchase of a new mini Dialysis unit for Al Mazyona Hospital.
The project will ease the suffering of patients that would otherwise have had to travel 280 km to Salalah for treatment.
Other HSE pledges include PDO’s support to people with disabilities and genetic diseases. As part of this, the Company is backing five non-governmental organisations by providing assistive devices for people with mobility disabilities to the Association for the Welfare of Handicapped Children and the Oman Association for the Disabled in Ibri and Suhar. PDO will also fund awareness and therapy programmes to be provided by the Oman Down Syndrome Association and Oman Hereditary Blood Disorders Association.
Providing job opportunities to enable Omani youth to earn a decent living is one of PDO’s main priorities. In line with that, PDO is funding the establishment of four kiosks to create 15 job opportunities for recovered drug addicts with the Amanah Waqf Funds Management Company.
PDO will also sponsor the establishment of five Agricultural Reserves which will be used to train people with low income on growing seasonal agriculture products to be sold in different outlets creating an extra income, which is fully aligned with the government’s efforts in achieving the no poverty goal of the UN SDGs and supervised by Dar Al Atta’a Association. The Company will also support the distribution of 116 laptops manufactured by an Omani SME for low income students.
PDO Managing Director Steve Phimister said: “PDO continues to continuously expand its social responsibility umbrella to include various aspects related to the communities in which we work, making every effort to provide the necessities for a decent life for all segments of the community. Our commitment and support are targeted at meeting pressing community needs through the provision of important facilities and services to support in areas such as health and employment.”
Another agreement signed at the event aims to establish a multi-purpose centre for the Omani Women Association and Al Wafa Centre for Rehabilitation for the Directorate of Social Development in Shaleem.
In addition, to support the Company’s efforts in reducing carbon emissions and raising public awareness in this field, PDO is launching the Dheyaa Solar Project, which will include installing solar panels on the roofs of public buildings in both Al Ghubra South and North in Wilayat Al Jazir.
The MoCs confirming these commitments were signed by Phimister and External Affairs and Value Creation Director Eng Abdul-Amir al Ajmi and senior government officials including Her Excellency Dr Laila al Najar, Minister of Social Development; Dr Fatima al Ajmiyah, Under-Secretary for Administrative, Financial, and Planning Affairs — Ministry of Health; HH Sayyida Hujaija bint Jaifar al Said, Chairperson of the Association for the Welfare of the Handicapped; and Hamed bin Sultan al Busaidy, Wali of Al Jazir.
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