16 June 2015, Yenagoa – Almost 60 years after oil was first discovered in commercial quantity from the bowel of its soil by the company, the Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) said it is to build a general hospital and four health centres “where the crude oil story started.”
The projects, which according to the oil firm, is part of the Centenary Project is known as Oloibiri Field Health Intervention Project (O-HIP) and would be built in communities situated in the Oloibiri oil field in Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State where crude oil was first discovered in commercial quantity in 1956.
As part of the project, the company initiated a logo competition among 10 selected secondary schools in the oil field area to select a logo for the project with the objective of promoting intellectual development and enhance skill acquisition.
Shell’s acting Regional Community Health Manager, Akin Fashola said the three-year project is “something different that states across the country can copy from.”
The company said that it is partnering with other institutions and companies including the Federal University, Otuoke for the establishment of a knowledge management and operations research centre.
The knowledge management and research centre is expected to conduct periodic research to document and share best practices aimed at replication and scale-up.
Shell assured the community that the project is to deliver affordable and quality healthcare through the introduction of community-based insurance scheme (CHIS) built on the Obio CHIS model.
Other deliverables of the O-HIP include holistic health improvement through investment in the social determinants of health such as poverty alleviation, water and sanitation, safe/clean housing and household renewable energy.
The partners of the O-HIP include Bayelsa State Government, Ogbia Local Government Council, Bayelsa State Ministry of Education, Bayelsa State Ministry of Health, and General Electric. He disclosed.
The winner of the logo competition, Micah Obaviojake of Community Secondary School, Oruma, and four others went home with various prizes and gifts.
All finalists in the logo competition were declared ambassadors of the project and they are expected to periodically upload pictures of the project to a designated website while clubs will be established all 10 participating schools.
Speaking at the ceremony, the state Commissioner for Health, Ayebatonye Owei described the centenary project as an important milestone, which gives added significance to Oloibiri.
– This Day