… As firm bags Special Recognition Award at NGA Conference 2018
The Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Gas Resources, Hon. Fred Agbedi has applauded the Global Memorandum of Understanding (GMoU) template of Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL).
Business Hilights recalls that GMoU is the company’s Community engagement strategy adopted by the NNPC/Chevron Joint Venture as a panacea for peace in the Niger Delta region.
Hon Agbedi gave the indication during a panel session at the 2018 Nigerian Gas Association’s (NGA) Conference and exhibition organized at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel Abuja.
The lawmaker represented by Hon. Ayebide Fatiede noted that through the GMoU model, Chevron has proved to the whole world that peace and harmonious relations with Niger Delta communities is possible and practicable.
This is coming as CNL also received a Special Recognition Award for its role in the Nigeria Gas Association (NGA) and the Nigeria Gas Industry at the NGA Conference and Exhibition held in Abuja.
The award was presented to CNL at the Gala and Awards Night organized at the Conference Hall of the Transcorp Hilton Hotel and witnessed by many dignitaries including some members of the National Assembly, Group Managing Director of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), representatives of the NNPC and industry regulators, participants from other African countries, Trinidad and Tobago, and other industry players.
The award presented by the outgoing President of the Association Engr Dada Thomas was received by Sanjay Narasimhalu, Director Downstream Chevron Nigeria Limited on behalf of the company.
Commenting on the impact of oil pipeline vandalism on oil and gas infrastructure development in Nigeria, Hon Abedi insisted that the cause of restiveness among the youths in the area is anger occasioned by neglect and insensitivity of the government to the plights of the people.
According to him, Chevron has instituted an effective system of engaging with the communities in a profitable manner, which has continued to enhance cordial relationship between the communities and the company.
He averred that “the GMoU by Chevron has created the desired enabling environment for oil and gas operations in the Niger Delta. What Chevron is doing is to bring the communities together and work with them for sustainable socio-economic development in a transparent and genuine way. I urge other organizations to emulate the NNPC/Chevron Joint Venture for steady development in the Niger Delta region.”
In his remarks, the General Manager, Policy Government and Public Affairs (PGPA) of CNL, Mr. Esimaje Brikinn, stated that since 2005 when the GMoU was established, the GMoU has recorded significant achievements especially in areas of education, health, and economic development. He said that the NNPC/CNL Joint Venture has contributed over NGN20.6billion to the RDCs to implement projects and programmes for about 600,000 beneficiaries in more than 400 communities.
“In terms of managing conflict and enhancing peace in communities, the GMoU story is one we are very proud to tell and has resulted in very impressive footprints in various communities and the model has helped improve CNL’s relationship with its neighboring communities, as it created a clearer and more predictable channel for dialogue,” he noted.
The Chevron official used the occasion to commend the commitment of the traditional institutions, the Government security forces, the community and leaders of the Regional Development Committees (RDC) for driving the multi-stakeholder collaboration for asset protection and stressed that CNL continues to work to strengthen relationship with these stakeholders.
“The community leaders have shown great commitment to this process and have seen the connection between CNL’s operations and their livelihood. They understand that an enabling environment for our operations translates to continuous benefits to the communities in terms of our contributions to their socio-economic development,” Brikinn explained.
Speaking on the award at NGA, Brikinn said “the NNPC/CNL Joint Venture is a major oil and gas producer and has provided substantial revenue to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Federal Government and State Governments for over 50 years. NNPC/CNL Joint Venture is a key domestic gas supplier in Nigeria and contributes over 40% of the gas supplied to the domestic market in the country.
“CNL has contributed immensely to the Nigerian government’s gas master plan through the various gas projects it has embarked on and that the company is the highest contributor of high quality gas to the domestic market in Nigeria since 2015,” he said.
“Through investments in gathering and processing of associated gas, routine flaring has been reduced by over 90% from 2008 to 2017 in CNL’s operations,” Brikinn concluded.
