OpeOluwani Akintayo
Lagos — In furtherance to its Corporate Social Responsibility, CSR initiative to positively impact lives in its host communities in Nigeria, TotalEnergies Upstream Companies in Nigeria, the NNPC, and PSC partners have commissioned and handed over a water borehole and treatment plant project to the Nnebukwu, Oguta community in Imo state.
The PSC partners include CNOOC, SAPETRO & PRIME 130 (formerly PETROBRA).
The Nnebukwu community which plays host to different schools (primary and secondary), and whose primary source of water is the stream and rainwater, now have access to clean water powered by 26 solar panels with a 25-year warranty lifespan.
The project is a containerized treatment plant, with aeration tanks, dosing pumps, tanks and fittings, mechanical and electrical installations, four 10, 000 litres G-PEE tanks, including 8 dispensing points connected into the community.
Mike Sangster, Managing Director, TotalEnergies Upstream Companies in Nigeria, represented by Kenechi Esomeju, General Manager, CSR TotalEnergies EP Nigeria limited, said the projects scattered across the country, were borne out of the need to mitigate the gaps in qualitative and technical education, maternal and child health, access to clean water and women and youth empowerment.
The projects, according to her “are in congruence with the related United Nations Sustainability Development Goals. The locations of these projects have also been very carefully chosen for maximum impact, coming from a need assessment carried out before the deployment.
“As already mentioned, the project we are commissioning today is one of the several projects being deployed across the entire country. Unfortunately, because of the Covid-19 pandemic we could not be physically present with you today. However, we have adopted this efficient and effective remote commissioning strategy to ensure delivery of all completed projects. I thank our senior partner, NNPC, and our PSC partners, SAPETRO, PRIME and CNOOC, who have joined us in providing the means, the processes and the resources that enabled us to deploy these local development projects. I also thank our several stakeholders including the State & Local Governments, beneficiary institution and the Project Managers for their support. As we hand over the project to you today, we implore you to ensure its sustainable use to impact on the people positively. The sustainability barometer shall be seen during our Impact Assessment Exercise, when we will come back to check how this project has helped and improved the impact of the hospital and lives of the benefitting community,” she said.
Speaking on behalf of Bala M. WUNTI, General Group Manager, National Petroleum Investment Management Services, NAPIMS, Clementina Arubi of the Public Affairs department, said the completion and commissioning of the project in 2022 was designed to mitigate the hardship faced by the locals especially women and children in the area In obtaining clean and portable water.
“In NNPC, our vision for social intervention is to continue to operate in an ethical and sustainable manner and deal with the environment and social impacts occasioned by our activities. We pride ourselves in our slogan “we touch your lives in many positive ways”, hence the approval for the deployment of various CSR projects by our operators across the country for maximum impact. NNPC along with its partners have implemented various projects in the areas of education (building and equipping of schools/ classrooms, laboratories, donation of books, scholarships, Quiz competitions, etc.) skill acquisitions and economic empowerment, healthcare, solar power and other infrastructural intervention projects.
These projects were borne out of the need to mitigate the gaps in Health Care, Quality Education, Water, and Women & Youth Empowerment in line with the relevant Millennium Development Goals (MDG). NNPC and its Partners are socially responsible organisations committed to improving the livelihood of the citizens of our great country, Nigeria.
“NNPC will continue to consistently champion the implementation of Sustainable Community Development projects that will positively impact the lives of the citizens of this Country. We are very proud and elated to be commissioning yet another laudable and essential project. We know that this facility will help provide succor to the people for the purpose it is intended,” she said.
On behalf of the partners, Luc Vanson, General Manager, Prime 130, said the company was proud to be part of such laudable initiative especially because clean water is an essential commodity.
“On behalf of the partners, we are proud to identify with the project as we want to make sure that Nigerians have access to quality education, clean water, and international standard healthcare system,” he said.
His Royal Highness of Nnebukwu autonomous community, HRH Eze John Ikechukwu Ezigwe appreciated TotalEnergies, NNPC and partners for citing such laudable project in the community.
“We want to thank TotalEnergies, NNPC and partners for bringing this project to our community. This is the first time we will have such, and we are happy,” he said, promising to protect the project.
Hon. Stephen Akunna, S.A Oil and Gas to Chairman of the Local government described the project as a “highly coveted”, one.
He thanked TotalEnergies, NNPC and partners, while asking that more of such quantity projects be brought into the community in the nearest future.
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