11 February 2014, Lagos – Total Uptream Companies in Nigeria (TUCN) and its partners in Oil Mining Lease (OML) 130, which contains the prolific Akpo deepwater oil field, have restated their commitment to the execution of corporate social responsibility projects in Nigeria.
Speaking at the recent inauguration of a twin lecture theatre and assembly hall at King’s College Annex, Lagos, the Deputy Managing Director, Deep Water District, TUCN, Mr. Charles Ngoka, said Total Upstream Nigeria (TUPNI) and its partners were happy to create an impact for the benefit of the users of these projects.
Ngoka said the structures were embarked upon as part of the CRS of TUCN and its partners – the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), South Atlantic Petroleum (SAPETRO), Brazil’s PETROBRAS and the Chinese National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC).
He disclosed that the contracts for both the Twin Lecture Theatre and the Assembly Hall were awarded in September 2011.
Ngoka , who was represented by the company’s Executive General Manager, Deep Water, Mr. Joseph Ajilore said before the award of the contract, the then TUPNI’s office was very close to the school.
“At that time, part of the premises of the Annex was used as Car Park by our staff members. In addition, as the principal of King’s College, Lagos and King’s College Annex can testify, Total has been using the two locations of the school, at one time or another up till now, as the Lagos Centre for the conduct of its yearly National Merit Scholarship Examination,” he said.
He disclosed that at full capacity, the twin lecture theatre would accommodate 400 students, while the assembly hall’s capacity is 500. Ngoka lauded the various contractors for their excellent jobs, adding that the projects were executed within their budget limits.
Also speaking, Total’s Executive General Manager (EGM) in charge of Geosciences, Reservoirs and Assets Management, Mr. Claude Bordenave stated that the projects were conceptualised in 2011 as part of Total’s CSR initiative.
“Total and its partners are happy to be associated with this great school, which has also produced great men of this country,” he said.
Group General Manager in charge of the National Petroleum Investment and Management Services (NAPIMS), a subsidiary of the NNPC, Mr. Fidel Pepple said as an investment arm of the NNPC, NAPIMS would continue to work with the OML 130 partners and other stakeholders to support the various programmes of the Federal Government.
“NAPIMS and partner, Total take education and capacity building very seriously. We are aligning with the Federal Government’s aspiration to develop the country and meet the needs of our people. That is why we have continually made huge investments in infrastructural and human capacity development, particularly, in the area of education, as part of our corporate social responsibilities and sustainable development programmes spread across the country,” he said.
In his welcome address, the Director Principal of King’s College, Lagos, Otunba Dele Olapeju said he was proud of the gesture by Total Upstream.
According to him, the twin lecture theatre was built over 40 years ago to cater for the students of the defunct Federal School of Arts and Science.
He said upon the takeover by King’s College in 1990, after the phase out of Higher School Certificate, the structure took a bad shape.
Olapeju said it was gratifying that Total Upstream and its partners lived up to their CRS by coming to the aid of the school.
The Supervising Minister for Education, Mr. Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, who was represented by his Special Assistant, Mr. Lambert Opara said the gesture by Total and its partners was well-appreciated by the Federal Government.
Wike said the execution of the projects by Total and its partners was in tandem with the Federal Government’s avowed policy of exploring partnerships and collaborations from the private sector for the actualisation of the transformation agenda of the present administration.
