… donate ambulances
Star Deepwater Petroleum Limited, a Chevron Company and its Co-venturers in the Agbami field – Famfa Oil Limited, last week stepped into government’s reconstruction efforts of the North East by donating ambulances to Yobe, Borno and Adamawa states for accessible healthcare to the insurgent-ravaged states.
The ambulances were handed over to the states in Abuja in a ceremony attended by members of National Assembly including Senator Abdul AzeezMurtalaNyako, Adamawa North Senatorial District; Senator AbubakarKyari – Borno North Senatorial District; Senator BintaGarba – Adamawa North Senatorial State and Senator Bukar Abba Ibrahim – Yobe East Senatorial District.
Speaking at the occasion, the Director, Deepwater and Production Sharing Contracts, Mr. Jeffrey Ewing commended the Federal Government for its efforts in returning peace and rebuilding the affected areas in the states most affected by the insurgency in the North East.
“Our intervention today is a demonstration of our commitment to support the efforts of government in providing adequate and accessible healthcare in the benefiting states and the nation at large,” he said.
Represented by Senator GbangaAluko, Chevron’s Director Government Affairs, Ewing restated the commitment of Chevron and its partners to the preservation of life, saying this had necessitated the donation of ambulances to the troubled states.
“The importance and usefulness of ambulance service in any structured health system cannot be overemphasized. It is in recognition of this reality that Star Deepwater Petroleum Limited, a Chevron Company and our Co-venturers – Famfa Oil Limited, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Statoil Nigeria Limited and PetroleoBrasileiro Nigeria Limited – in the Agbami field; have undertaken this project aimed at preserving lives. The ambulances we are providing today are fully equipped with modern equipment that will enhance the effective delivery of emergency relief.
“At Star Deepwater, a Chevron Company and its Coventurers, we believe that the most rewarding investment is the investment in lives, because the greatest assets of a nation are its people. This is the underlying philosophy behind our social investment in the areas of health, education and economic empowerment. We believe in the principle of adding value and enriching lives in any society we operate in.
“Although the Agbami Field is located approximately 70 miles (113 kilometers) offshore Nigeria, and in line with the Deep Offshore Community Affairs Group (DOCAG) engagement principles, Co-venturers view the entire country of Nigeria as Agbami community. We have invested in the provision of chest clinics, surgical clinics and laboratories in different states of the nation running into billions of naira.
“Star Deepwater, in collaboration with our Co-venturers in the Agbami field have also built 25 well-equipped chest clinics, 16 hybrid libraries and 32 science laboratories in states all over Nigeria. One of the Science Laboratories is sited at Government Secondary School, Fufore, while there is a Hybrid Library donated by a Chevron Company and its partners in Aliyu Mustapha College Yola, both in Adamawa State,” Ewing further said.
Other speakers at the occasion included the MD, Petrobras who was represented by Meg Irozuru, Government Relation & Nigeria Content Development Manager, General Manager, NAPIMS Mr.DafeSejebor, represented by Mr.Laminu Ahmed, MD, Statoil, represented by his Business Support Manager, NkechiEzenwa and Mrs FolorunsoModupeAlakija who was represented by OlawoleOladapo, her Senior Joint Venture Accountant.
The donation attracted comments from recipients who expressed gratitude to the Agbami co-ventures for their gesture.
Speaking on behalf of the governors of the recipient states, the Borno State Commissioner for Health, Dr.HaruwaMschella, promised to make the best of the donation.
“We thank Agbami and its partners for the ambulances. The ambulance gift is appropriate and critical in saving lives, especially women in labour and convulsing children who may not have access to hospital in community due to the destruction of about half of the general hospitals in Borno State. We are going to put the ambulances to good use,” he said.
