TEPNG/NNPC JV Hands Over Skills Acquisition Centre to Rivers State

Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt

The TotalEnergies Exploration and Production Nigeria Limited and Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (TEPNG/NNPCL) Joint Venture (JV), has commissioned and handed over a women’s development and skills acquisition centre to the Rivers state government.

At the ceremony which took place at the weekend, the Managing Director and Country Chair, TotalEnergies Upstream Nigeria Limited, Mr Matthieu Bouyer, noted that the project was in furtherance of the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative of the company’s deepwater asset operations.

Represented by the Executive Director, People and Country Services, Evi Ifekwe, Bouyer revealed that in 2016, TotalEnergies commenced a robust plan to deploy CSR infrastructure developments across Nigeria, which he said resulted in a strategy to deliver 84 physical projects across the six geo-political zones of the country.

“Of these infrastructure projects, 64 have already been completed and commissioned from the earlier phases. In 2023, the total of three projects have been completed. Another 17 are set to advanced stages of completion and planned to be unveiled before the end of the year,” he said.
According to the TotalEnergies MD, the projects were borne out of the need to mitigate the gaps in qualitative and technical education, reduce maternal and child death, enhance access to clean water, among others.

Speaking on the significance of the centre, Bouyer said its completion underscored the close relationship TotalEnergies has with the Rivers state government and the people, adding that Port Harcourt remains the administrative hub of its operations.

Bouyer thanked the senior partner, NNPC Limited as well as other partners: SAPETRO, CNOOC and PRIME 130.
In his remarks,  the Chief Upstream Investment Officer, NNPC Upstream Investment Management Services, Mr Bala Wunti, said the project was a proof of the NNPC and its partners’ responsibility towards the economic empowerment of the communities and the country at large.

Wunti who was represented by Edith Lawson, said NNPC and partners are sensitive to the needs of the people, saying that: “Our goal is to ensure that Nigerians benefit from CSR interventions based on verifiable and critically assessed needs of the various identified beneficiary states across the country “.
He assured the consistent implementation of the projects that will positively impact the lives of the citizens of the country.
Meanwhile, the Rivers State government has lauded TotalEnergies and it’s partners for the construction of the centre built in the premises of the state ministry of women affairs in Port Harcourt.

Receiving the key to the structure, the Commissioner for Women Affairs, Dr Roseline Uranta, thanked the management of NNPC/Total E&P Nigeria Limited, for ensuring the completion and equipping of the centre.

Dr Uranta promised that the women will carefully utilise the complex and equipment made available for the development and advancement of different skill acquisitions and trainings that will be carried out in the centre.

“The project being commissioned today has facilities such as Fashion and Design Unit (equipped with sewing machines), Sick Bay, Catering Unit, a hall accommodating 900 people, Mini hall for 100 and 180 people respectively and offices for Staff among others,” she said.
She further pledged to take proper care of the facility and fully utilise it for the benefit of Rivers Women.