Shell to build N2b projects to celebrate Nigeria’s Centenary

Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria (SPDC),   will execute   three projects valued  N2 billion as part of the agenda  to mark Nigeria’s 100 years of existence  as a nation.

The projects include; a 200-seater library in Port Harcourt; a health project at Oloibiri, Bayelsa State’ and an upgrade of athletics infrastructure in five secondary schools in Delta State.

Shell’s Corporate Media Relations Manager, Mr. Precious Okolobo who confirmed the initiative   in a statement at the weekend said, the company was implementing the library and health projects from its purse while the funding of 30 per cent of the  athletics infrastructure comes from its share in the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Ltd (SPDC) Joint Venture.

According to him, Shell is executing the projects with the other partners – NNPC, Total and ENI.

Managing Director and Country Chair, Shell Companies in Nigeria, Mutiu Sunmonu who had  earlier breifed  the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim on the projects,  said  the projects will showcase  the company’s commitment to a long-term future in Nigeria,

“We are pleased that the projects will deliver significant benefits to the people, and help boost literacy, healthcare and youth empowerment, in line with our robust programme of social INVESTMENTS in Nigeria,” he said.

In his response, Anyim expressed gratitude for the projects.

“We celebrated Nigeria’s centenary in February 2014 with the private sector wholly funding the event in the first example of its kind. The projects by Shell show that the private sector is continuing to support the centenary celebration,” he further  added.

Sunmonu had unveiled the three centenary projects at a road show on sustainable development organised in Abuja by SPDC.

The projects are being overseen by implementing partners, the Port Harcourt Literary Society, Federal University, Utuoke and Africare, Nigeria.

Representatives of the implementing partners and the Delta and Bayelsa state governments pledged their co-operation for a timely execution of the projects.

The road show itself is an annual public display by beneficiaries of SPDC Joint Venture’s social INVESTMENT programmes, covering health care, the Global Memorandum of Understanding (GMoU) youth and women empowerment and education. The theme of the 2014 edition was ‘Partnership for development.”

The Group Managing Director of NNPC, Dr. Joseph Dawha, represented by the Group Executive Director, Gas & Power, Dr. David Ige, commended the implementation of the centenary projects and the social INVESTMENT interventions of Shell and the NNPC/SPDC Joint Venture.

Group General Manager of NAPIMS, Mr. Jonathan Okehs, represented by Manager, Public Affairs Division, Dr. Kenny Obateru, observed: “The partnership between NNPC and SPDC has brought about significant INVESTMENTS and development in education, health, environmental preservation, economic empowerment, local content development and provision of social amenities in the communities where we operate in particular and across the country in general.”

Recipients of the social INVESTMENT programmes of the SPDC Joint Venture mounted exhibitions at the road show highlighting the benefits and gains from the various initiatives.

Nigeria is the largest recipient of social INVESTMENT by the Shell Group globally, according to the company.

Source: Daily Independent