Seplat Energy Provides Free Eye Treatment for 90 Communities in Edo, Delta

Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City

Seplat Energy at the weekend announced the provision of free eye treatment and other healthcare services to 90 communities in Edo and Delta States
The company’s incoming Director of External Affairs and Sustainability, Mrs. Chioma Afe, who announced this at this year’s, “Eye Can See,” programme which climaxed at the Oba of Benin palace in Benin City, added that 13 centres were designated to ensure that the communities within its operational areas are captured in the exercise.

She explained that the programme was designed to ensure provision of eyesight through surgery of cataracts, free eyeglasses and lectures to teach people how to manage their health, including diabetes.

She further disclosed that Seplat Energy as a responsible corporate citizen, has through the programme which commenced in 2012, treated over 96,000 people in its operational areas.

Besides, Afe stated that the company has through the programme which is for all ages, carried out eye surgeries on 4,218 patients and given out 45, 000 free eyeglasses to others since the exercise began.

In his remarks, Seplat New Energy Director, Mr. Effiong Okon, disclosed that Edo remains one of the company’s strategic states in business, assuring that the health programme would be sustained as long as the business continues.

“In Seplat, we are purpose-driven, we are here to serve. We have put down purposeful structure to ensure that the programme continues for a very long time”, he said, while commending the NNPC Exploration and Production, the Health personnel and communities for their support.

On his part, the Managing Director of NNPC Exploration and Production who was represented by Mrs. Emily Ajakaye, pledged continued collaboration with Seplat in execution of the healthcare programme.

Commending Seplat Energy, the Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare ll, represented by Chief Stanley Obamwonyi, noted that his subjects who benefitted from the programme were greatly relieved.

He therefore, praised the company and urged it not to relent in mounting subsequent programme.

In her speech, one of the beneficiaries of the cataract surgeries, Mrs. Maria Aigbedo, commended Seplat for the programme saying: “I am very happy for what the company has done for us. But for Seplat, I would not have been able to get the finance to carry out Eye surgery. I thank the Oba and everybody.”
During the programme, hundreds of people from Edo and Delta States who had Eye challenges were treated at the two-day event and given free eyeglasses.