CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY; INDUSTRIES SHOULD TAKE UP THE CHALLENGE IN ABIA.

#AbiaOnline 
By Ikechukwu Iroha.
One considers certain factors before situating an industry at a particular location. Some of these factors are not limited to proximity to source of supply, nearness to markets and level of demand of certain products from the people.
However, it does not end at locating the Industry where the management targets higher return on investment (ROI) , management also considers socioeconomic and political development of the Immediate community where the company is domiciled.
Going forward, the topic opens us to Corporate social responsibility of industries in the development of the State and the country at large.
Corporate social responsibility is a supportive objective that take account of the interrelationships between people, resources, environment, and development, to consider ways and means by which industries can deal more effectively with environmental concerns; to help define shared perceptions of long-term environmental issues and the appropriate efforts needed to deal successfully with the problems of protecting and enhancing the environment.
Corporate social responsibilities come in different ways. Industries can go a step further to develop their host community in the area of, Provision of good roads, pipe borne water, scholarships to students, employment of persons from the Community where the company is located as well as partnering with the Government to develop the State. 
Youths restiveness especially in some of the oil producing States, could be attributed to lack of adherence to these core functions.
Businesses thrive in a peaceful environment and to foster such, relationship between the company and the host community must be symbiotic.
Government makes sure such core values that define human rights, employee rights, environmental protection , community development , stakeholder rights are properly maintained.
Industries tend to seek further to define what benefits or harms would a company’s project does to the right of the society, the employee, the environmental and the development of the community , and the rights of the community as legitimate stakeholders.  
The community is respected as a stakeholder in the project. Therefore, the company must create an avenue for close collaboration and consultation with the host community, while assisting the community in capacity building in all aspects of social and economic development.
To make it work, the company must ensure that environmental protection is not compromised.
Oil exploration has some environmental hazards it pose to communities. Agriculture in these areas become a forgone alternative since both water and soil nutrients are affected by oil spillage and Gas flare.
The case of Owazza in Ukwa West is still fresh. It was recently observed that both Shell and Total oils have been involved in oil exploration with large oil flow stations occupying large expanse of land in Ukwa West area of the State.  
To make the matter worse, the company do not remit any tax to the government of the State. They do not have functional offices in the State capital, where it could be easy to access Staff personal income Tax.
Staff are brought all the way from Rivers State escorted with mean-looking security men, which means, they do not remit tax to Abia State Board of Internal Revenue.
The youths are not benefiting from the oil exploration, from findings, the youths only are engaged in menial jobs.
In Rivers State, Akwaibom and Lagos, some major roads, street lights and water projects are being executed by companies, as part of their social responsibilities. The industries pay tax to the Government while still performing these duties. It will not be out of place to compel Industries in Abia to start picking up projects so as to complement efforts of the State government.
This article seeks to bring to us, the understanding that Abia youths are peaceful, but should not be taken for granted. Upon all that has happened, there has not been any report of pipeline vandalization despite the level of provocation.
It seeks also to educate companies and industries of their roles in partnering the State Government for development purposes.
In its broadest terms, the concept of corporate social responsibility is inextricably linked to the notion of environmental Justice.
Industries should therefore view Corporate Social responsibility as a more detailed way of sharing with the Government, inequities in the exposure to environmental risks.