Delta State, group laud Chevron for donating e-library to schools

The Delta State government and the National Association of Itsekiri Graduates (NAIG) have commended Chevron Nigeria Ltd (CNL) for donating a well-equipped Hybrid e-Library to Ubeji Grammar School, Warri, and other secondary schools in the state.

The hybrid e-library facility was built, equipped and delivered by Texaco Nigeria Outer Shelf Ltd, a subsidiary of Chevron Nigeria Ltd and inaugurated last week by the state government.

An impressed Delta State governor, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, commended CNL and its joint venture partner, NNPC for the project.

Okowa, who was represented by the Delta State Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Mr Chiedu Ebie, during the inauguration of the facility last week, thanked CNL for the project.

He described it as a huge assistance to the Delta State government in its quest to create an enabling environment for wealth creation.

Mr Ebie appealed to people of Ubeji community to protect the facility from vandalism.

According to him, the Delta State government believes in partnership with the private sector in order to create an efficient and qualitative education.

Director, Deep Water and PSCs, Mr Jeffrey Ewing, disclosed that the NNPC/Chevron Joint Venture had awarded more than 6, 000 scholarships to students across the country, inclusive of the visually impaired.

Mr Ewing commended the Delta State government for their support.

He noted that CNL would partner the management of Ubeji Grammar School through the Delta State Ministry of Education to execute more development projects in the community.

The CNL Director, Mr Ewing, who was represented by the Warri Area Manager of the company, Mr Esimaje Brikinn, added that Chevron’s Deep Water Assets in OML 132 had executed other social investments in its area of operation.

Some of the projects, he reiterated, included an e-Library at Ibadan Grammar School, Oyo State, Computer Science Laboratory in the Estate Surveyors Department of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State, and a Sick Bay at the Federal Government College, Ogbomosho, Oyo State.

He stated that Chevron and its co-ventures in the Deep Offshore Fields were proud to have operated in Nigeria for over 50 years.

According to Mr Brikinn, Chevron has carved a niche for itself as a company of choice admired for its people, partnership and performance.

InsideNigerDelta reports that other schools in Delta State that have so far benefited from Star Deep Water  Petroleum Projects in the Agbami Field include Uwheru Grammar School in Ughelli North Local Government Area, Zik’s Grammar School, Sapele, Delta State University, Oleh Campus as well as Mother and Child Centre at General Hospital, Sapele, which is undergoing construction.

Principal of Ubeji Grammar School, Mrs Mofe Otomi, lauded Chevron and its co-ventures for selecting Ubeji Grammar School for the e-library, which, she said, had brought e-Learning closer to the very grassroots.

She appealed to the people of Ubeji Community Trust to protect the facility in the school for effective usage.

Meanwhile, in a statement signed by NAIG President, Comrade Collins Oritsetimeyin Edema, the Itsekiri students’ group applauded Chevron for the appointment of Mr Esimaje Brikinn as its new General Manager, PGPA.

He said the appointment “will go a long way in helping to smoothen the relationship between Chevron and her host communities,” adding, “this is the first time someone from the host communities of CNL is occupying this position.”

He, however, appealed to Mr Brikinn to urgently look into pending issues such as the conversion of VTP5/OTP2 trainees affecting Itsekiri graduates and work towards absorbing them in the employ of the company.