By Ogenyi Ogenyi, Uyo
The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Chief Ekperikpe Ekpo, has praised the NNPC Exploration & Production Limited (NEPL) and Natural Oilfield Services Limited (NOSL) for maintaining a robust relationship with their host communities.
During an official visit to OML-13, the operational base of NEPL and NOSL in Akwa Ibom, Ekpo expressed satisfaction with the companies’ strong ties with the communities, which have enabled peaceful operations.
The minister called on NEPL and NOSL to expedite the establishment and implementation of the Host Community Development Trust Fund, as mandated by the Petroleum Industry Act of 2022. He also urged the companies to extend power supply from their flow station to the communities to help them experience the positive impact of the company’s operations.
He emphasized that the activities of NEPL and NOSL would enhance the country’s gas production capacity and assured that the Federal Government was prepared to support the companies in achieving their production targets.
A representative of NEPL-NOSL’s management noted that the company has production facilities with a capacity of 60,000 barrels of oil per day and 90 million standard cubic feet of gas per day. The company is expected to reach its full production potential before the end of the year.
“We consider our host communities as critical partners, and we have given utmost attention to our community development projects (CDPs). Our priority is to ensure our communities are positively impacted by being involved in our day-to-day operations,” he explained.
He added that the company has executed several programs and projects that have directly improved the lives and living standards of the host communities, with many more projects planned.
“We have carried out numerous community development projects, including medical outreaches, scholarship grants for students in higher institutions, the provision of medical equipment to hospitals, skills acquisition training programs, and the construction of boreholes, roads, and bridges. We’ve also distributed school furniture, laptops, electronic tablets, and transformers. The company is planning additional community development programs for the people,” he said.
The minister’s visit provided him and his team with an opportunity for a firsthand assessment of the oil and gas production facilities at OML-13 in Eastern Obolo Local Council.
The inspection, aligned with President Bola Tinubu’s vision of a Green Nigeria within three to five years, included the Zonal Manager for Akwa Ibom and Cross River Zonal Operations of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Dr. Uduak Obot, Senior Technical Adviser to the Minister, Abel Nsa, and Mr. Olalekan Ogunleye, EVP of Gas, as part of the minister’s entourage.
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