At least 1,000 indigenes and residents of five host communities to Matrix Energy Group in Warri South Local Government of Delta State will benefit from the ongoing six-day free medical eye clinic.
The communities are Ubeji, Ifiekporo, Ikeren, Egbokodo and Aja-Etan.
The outreach, which began yesterday, is being held at the Ogiame Ikenwoli Hospital, Ubeji.
Addressing reporters, the Safety Manager, Frederick Olomuro, said the programme was a way to give back to the community for being friendly “and allowing our business to thrive over the years.”
He added that the outreach was borne out of an observation that many people had vision challenges and needed eye care.
“We’ve scheduled each community from Monday to Friday. Saturday is open for the public. Our intention is to see how we can support people who have vision problems because there is a high rate of eye challenges.
“Matrix Energy is trying to fill up that gap in ensuring that our people have good sights. During this programme, there will be free tests, free consultations, free lenses and treatments.
“We are covering the five communities and even people outside the communities. Nobody will be turned back. We have about 325 glasses. We are ready to give all and see how we attend to as many people that come. Even if 500 or 1,000 come, we are going to attend to them.”
“In this community, we started with four tanks. Today, we are doing extremely well as a company. We have host communities that are good and relate well. When a community is friendly and your business is thriving, why not give to them? They didn’t ask for it, but we take it as one of our Corporate Social Responsibilities,” Olomuro said.
An Eye Consultant of Ogiame Ikenwoli Hospital, Dr. Tosan Amorighoye, said long exposure to pollution, resulting from oil and gas operations, led to public health crisis, which also “affect the eyes”.
Listing some of the vision problems to include brownish colouration and cataract, she said people who had surgical needs would be sorted out during the exercise and further plans communicated to them.
Ubeji Community Trust Chairman Godwin Mone described the gesture as a positive one and urged other companies in the locality to emulate the idea.
The Ubeji Community Liaison Officer, Austin Leleji, hailed the firm for past medical outreaches, saying “it is up to speed in its CSR.”
Some pupils, Esther Koma (12), Abraham Koma (10) and Alex Victor (6), who were awaiting special eye testing, thanked the company for the outreach.
Victor said: “I am here because of my eyes. I can’t see the board clearly in class. I will say thank you if they treat my eyes.”
Other beneficiaries, including elderly men and women, expressed gratitude to Matrix Energy and called for more awareness to enable more people benefit in future.