West African Container Terminal-APM Terminals Nigeria has commissioned and handed over a newly renovated 10-room Teachers’ Quarters in its host community of Ogu, Ogu/Bolo Local Government Area, Rivers State.
According to a statement by the terminal operator on Wednesday, the project was part of its commitment to advancing education and community development.
The statement added that the facility, which was originally built by the company in 2012, has now been upgraded to provide teachers with more modern, comfortable, and conducive accommodation.
“The project, which falls under the company’s thematic area of education and infrastructure development, is designed to provide decent and comfortable accommodation for teachers serving in the community.
By improving teachers’ living conditions, the initiative aims to boost their morale, encourage retention, and ultimately contribute to raising the standard of education in Ogu,” the statement read in part.
The Chief Finance Officer of APM Terminals Nigeria, Courage Obadagbonyi, explained that the renovation of the teacher’s quarters demonstrates the company’s dedication to both education and community development.
“Education is at the core of what we preach in WACT and our parent entity, the APM Terminals Group. The upgraded facility reaffirms our commitment to corporate social responsibility initiatives. We believe that teachers need to be taken care of. If they are not in the right frame of mind, the impact on the students will be minimal. With the rising cost of accommodation, we hope that they find suitable shelter in this project and give the best to the students, the Ogu Community, and society at large. Our shared commitment to growing side by side with the Ogu community remains the bedrock of our CSR initiatives,” Obadagbonyi said.
The Community Relations Manager at WACT-APM Terminals Nigeria, Justin Okwuofu, emphasised the importance of the project in supporting teachers and sustaining education in the community.
“This project was built in the year 2012 to assist teachers who are teaching in the community to have a good residence in the community. But because over the years, the project had worn out and dilapidated, we felt the need to have a conducive living environment for the residents, and that was why we embarked on the renovation. A lot of things have been done on this project, and we believe that with this project, teachers’ retention in the community will be improved so that they can have an impact on the students,” Okwuofu said.
In his goodwill message, the Secretary of the Ogu Divisional Council of Chiefs, Lawrence Tokuibiye Ogobo-Inuma, applauded the company for the project, describing it as a timely intervention that would have a lasting impact in the community.
“We want to appreciate WACT. They are one of the companies that have never taken their CSR projects for granted, and their presence has been so felt in our community. They have empowered our youths, women, etc, and so many other projects have been put up in the community by them. This facility is going to create a lot of impact in terms of accommodating our youths, making them comfortable and able to concentrate in their teaching,” he concluded.
WACT-APM Terminals operate within the Oil and Gas Free Zone at Onne Ports, Rivers State. Over the years, it has evolved into the most efficient gateway for markets outside Lagos, serving as a critical trade hub for Eastern Nigeria and beyond.
