• Ekperikpe Ekpo
Hon. Ekperikpe Ekpo, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), has praised NNPC Exploration & Production Limited (NEPL) and Natural Oilfield Services Limited (NOSL) for their excellent relationship with host communities.
During his visit to OML-13 in Akwa Ibom State, weekend, Ekpo commended the companies for maintaining peaceful operations through strong community ties.
Ekpo encouraged NEPL and NOSL to swiftly establish and implement the Host Community Development Trust Fund as required by the Petroleum Industry Act 2022.
He also urged them to provide power supply from the flow station to the communities to ensure they benefit from the company’s positive impact.
The Minister emphasized that the operations of NEPL and NOSL would enhance the country’s gas production capacity. He also assured that the Federal Government was ready to support the company in achieving its production targets.
The management of the NEPL-NOSL, stated that the company, has a 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 expects 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 (CDP). Our priority is to ensure our communities are positively impacted by being involved in our day-to-day operations,” he explained.
The Management added that the company has executed several programmes and projects that have directly improved the lives and living standards of the host communities, with many more projects in the pipeline.
“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, construction of boreholes, roads, and bridges, distribution of school furniture, laptops, electronic tablets, transformers, and more. The company is planning additional community development programs for the people.”
The Minister’s visit provided the Minister and his team with the opportunity for a firsthand assessment of the oil and gas production facilities at OML-13 in Eastern Obolo Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.
The inspection which was in line with President Bola Tinubu’s vision of a Green Nigeria within three to five years, had the Zonal Manager 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, Mr Olalekan Ogunleye – EVP gas, as part of the Minister’s entourage.
