The Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwatse III, has said the people of Niger Delta were living in hell despite having the largest oil and gas activities in the country.
He said too many communities in his domain were grappling with poverty, lack of access to education, accessible healthcare and environmental pollution, among others.
The monarch raised the concern in his speech at the Africa Leadership Summit, organised by the Africa Leadership organisation in London.
Speaking on the topic, ‘Business Beyond Profits: Expanding the Frontiers of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Community Development for Africa’s Development,’ the traditional ruler expressed dismay that year after year, companies engage in corporate social responsibility activities across communities in the region but will make little impact.
He stated: “Today, African businesses are thriving, and our entrepreneurs are still ambitious. However, a deep societal linkage and community upliftment through business is less prevalent. Indeed, the pursuit of profit, while essential, has drawbacks.
“I reign over a kingdom with one of the largest oil and gas activity in the country. However, in our communities, we’ve seen the growing gap in inequality, environmental degradation and missed opportunities for societal advancement. Too many of our communities grapple with poverty, lack of access to education, accessible healthcare, environmental pollution, amongst many other issues.
“Yet, year after year, companies engage in corporate social responsibility activities across communities. So, why are the large budgets dedicated to activities and donations not doing much to move the needle of our continent’s development? For far too long, we’ve done CSR as charity, following a model that treats CSR as an act of philanthropy rather than a core part of business strategy.
“This often leads to one-off, superficial activities that fail to deliver lasting impact. If, instead, we craft CSR as an integral part of our business strategies, aligned with our core operations and value proposition, we can create lasting, scalable impact while also strengthening our businesses.”
Stressing the need for the government to create an enabling environment that encourages and rewards socially responsible business practices, he observed that business leaders and government officials have the opportunity and responsibility to redefine the role of business in Africa.
According to him, beyond seeing businesses as catalysts for societal transformation, “we must also embrace the fact that societal development and business success are not mutually exclusive, but rather intertwined.”
The monarch added: “In envisioning the future of community development in Africa, I see a continent transformed by the power of business beyond profits. I see African businesses, governments and communities, hand in hand, driven not only by the pursuit of economic gain but also by a shared commitment to lifting our continent.
“I envision African communities actively shaping their destinies, harnessing the resources and opportunities unlocked by CSR initiatives carefully tailored to their needs and aspirations.”
