The Managing Director, Okomu Oil Company, Dr. Graham Hefer presenting the key of a Patrol Van donated to Edo State Police Command by the Company

The management of Okomu Oil Palm Company in Edo, said on Sunday, that it had spent N20 million on whistle blowers who saved the company from incurring losses.

The company’s Managing Director, Mr Graham Hefer, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Benin that the company had adopted whistle blowing policy for over 10 years now.

Hefer said that the company adopted the policy to prevent theft of its produce such as palm fruits and rubber as well as prevent its staff from illicit operations within and outside the company.

He said that the policy had been very rewarding to the company and commended the Federal Government for adopting the policy to prevent corruption in government offices.

He said that of the company’s 33,000 hectares of farmland, 18,000 had been used for palm tree cultivation while 8,000 hectares was being used for cultivation of rubber trees.

The managing director said that the company planned to cultivate additional 1,000 hectares of rubber trees in 2018.

He said that the company had some challenges including lack of power supply and bad roads which affected its cost of production.

Hefer said that the challenges also made it difficult for the company to compete effectively with its contemporaries outside the country.

He told NAN that the company had spent about N200 million on its corporate social responsibility programme in the last two years and also budgeted N250 million for it this year.

Hefer said about 27 youths from the host and neighbouring communities currently studying in universities across the country were enjoying the company’s scholarship scheme.

“We provided bole holes, built schools, built town halls and assisted the police in repairing their vehicles.

“We are motivated to carry out the projects because of the good relationship we enjoy with the host and neighouring communities of Okomu Oil Palm Company,” he said.

(NAN)