Agbami Co- Venturers boost medical education in Bayelsa

When it comes to Community Development, do Oil Companies come to mind? For most people, OCs do not feature in development. They would think of NGOs, Multilateral organisations and even Government but never OCs.

The assumption is that Oil Companies are not experts in Community Development and by their high involving business, they tend to focus on their business which is the exploration and production of oil. This general assumption is wrong. There are OCs who are quietly adding significant values to people’s lives all over Nigeria and beyond. A case in point is the Agbami Co-venturers.

The Agbami Co-venturers, a group of Oil Companies in the Agbami field – Star Deepwater Petroleum Limited, (a Chevron Company), Famfa Oil Limited, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Statoil Nigeria Limited, and Petroleo Brasileiro Nigeria Limited have since the inception of the project devoted significant resources and time to development in Nigeria.

Last Thursday, June 1, 2017, the Agbami Co-Venturers were in Bayelsa State to commission and handover the Diagnostic Laboratory built, equipped and donated to the Niger Delta University, Amassoma.

Explaining the reason for the project, Richard Kennedy, Director, Star Deepwater Petroleum Limited (Stardeep) represented by Mr. Lanre Kalejaiye the G.M. DEEPWATER & PSCs said: “Today’s event reiterates the resolve of the Agbami Coventurers to help ensure the availability and affordability of quality education to Nigerians while also adding significant value to Medicare.” He expects the laboratory, to have a huge impact on the students and the entire University community by enabling them to have access to modern research facilities. He also expects to enhance students’ research efforts and stimulate major medical research breakthroughs.

Richard expatiated that the Agbami Co-venturers have also implemented other projects in Bayelsa State in education and health. These include: the building and equipping of a Hybrid Library in 2016 at Epie Secondary School, Opollo, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State. “We also built and equipped a Science Laboratory complex in 2008 at St. Jude’s Girls Secondary School Amarata, Bayelsa State,  and built, equipped and donated a Leprosy and Tuberculosis Hospital at Igboghene, Bayelsa State in 2008.In addition, 869 Bayelsa State indigenes have benefited from Agbami Medical and Engineering Professional Scholarships (AMEPS) and Chevron JV Scholarships.” He said.

Governor Seriake Dickson, represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Barrister, David Serena Dokubo-Spiff appreciated the Agbami partners for their Social Investments in Bayelsa State explaining that the Bayelsa State is happy to partner the Co-venturers because quality education is important to the Government of the State. He, however, expects and welcomes more such collaborative projects with the Co-venturers.

Going down history lane, Dr. Samuel Edoumiekumo, ActingVice Chancellor, Niger Delta University (NDU) told the audience about the start of the project in 2008. In his words, “We are happy today that the project is being commissioned and we do hope to get more support from the Agbami Co-Venturers”

Other Co-VenturersNkechiEzenwa(STATOIL), Meg Irozuru(PETROBRAS) and ObinnaIheonu(FAMFA) on behalf of their various organisationsreiteratedthe stance of the group to continue to make strategic Social Investments inBayelsa State and Nigeria at large.

The Agbami Co-venturers have donated several other projects across the country. Since the Agbami field was commissioned, they have donated 33 science laboratories as well as 25 chest clinicsto different states of the federation including the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

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