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Shell Summer School Trains 120 Undergraduates
The Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria (SPDC) last Monday added another cap to the litany of accomplishments as its Summer School kick-started the training of 120 top petroleum engineering and geosciences undergraduates of four universities in the Niger Delta as a practical demonstration of its desire to create a pool of competent human resource base to drive the oil and gas industry in the years ahead.
Of this number, 60 petroleum engineering students began their classes on Monday, and would stay on campus till August 15, while the other 60 geosciences students would join their class on September 14 through 19, in very intensive, practical sessions accounting for a cumulative 4,500 contact hours, covering a whole semester’s work.
Speaking during the inauguration of the school at the Information and Communication Technology Centre (ICTC), University of Port Harcourt, Choba, SPDC Managing Director, Mr. Mutiu Sunmonu said the 120 top performers participating in the two six-day summer schools are drawn from the host university, Rivers State University of Science and Technology (RSUST), Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO), and the University of Benin (UNIBEN).
Represented at the event by the General Manager, Geosciences, Mr. Nedo Osayande, the managing director stressed that the programme was aimed at transferring industry experience to the students while at the same time bridging the academic-industry gap in curricula as a means of providing veritable platform for development of future exploration and production recruits in the industry.
He stated that the Shell staff, who constitute the faculty would provide on hands-on lectures, lead group discussions, syndicate practical and interactive sessions/exercises, and deliver practical modules in such subjects as mathematics, physics, mechanical, electrical and petroleum engineering as well as geology, geophysics, among others, adding that the initiative was strategically targeted at encouraging excellence in the four universities.
According to him, apart from the public relations benefits, the summer schools also provide significant window for talent-spotting as the industry grapples with the enormous challenges of replenishing its stock of competent reservoir engineers and other professionals in the oil and gas exploration and production environment, and promised to monitor the performance of the students for possible future employment.
Sunmonu noted that SPDC was committed to contributing to the enhancement of educational standards in exploration and production disciplines in Nigerian universities through direct transfer and impartation of practical and current industry knowledge and experience to the top performing students in the catchment universities, and assured the students of a better future in the industry, if they perform well on graduation.
An elated Vice Chancellor, University of Port Harcourt, Prof Don Baridam, while declaring the school open, lauded SPDC for collaborating with the university in this strategic initiative, particularly the introduction of geosciences summer school, saying that it would promote better interactions and more benefits to both the four universities and the participating students.
Prof Baridam listed other Shell involvements in the university to include establishment of Shell/Aret Adams chair in petroleum engineering, the donation of significant volumes of modern textbooks to both university library and the Department of Petroleum and Gas Engineering, the establishment of a state-of-the-art geophysics computing centre and the promise to supply more equipment to the centre as the research progresses, and requested Shell’s donation of a decommissioned Linux cluster to assist the university faculties to meet their computing needs.
The UNIPORT VC reminded the participating students that the course work was intensive, competitive and highly demanding, and said the authorities of their universities expect them to seize the rare opportunity to further expose themselves to the best industry knowledge, experience and cutting-edge technologies to prepare them for participation at higher levels of the oil and gas industry operations, especially in Shell.
The event, which collapsed into full academic session for the students, was witnessed by a cream of Shell staff and top members of the academia, including UNIPORT DVC, Academics, Prof Biozor Anyologwu, Director, UNIPORT ICT Centre, Prof Joseph Ebeniro, Director, Shell/Aret Adams Professorial Chair in Petroleum Engineering, Prof Wale Dosunmu, Director, UNIPORT Institute of Petroleum Studies, Prof Joseph Ajienka, Prof Onyewuchi Akaranta, deans, heads of departments, among others.
The Mayor of Housing, My-ACE China, has teamed up with a renowned hospital group in Port Harcourt, the Meridian Hospitals, which is in partnership with the Pilgrims Health Foundation, to carry out a one-day medical outreach last Tuesday.
The free treatment scheme took place at Oromenike Government Girls Secondary School in D-Line, Port Harcourt, with over 100 persons accessing free treatments, including free eye-glasses and booking for eye surgeries.
Other areas of treatment included general health consultations and treatment; blood pressure and sugar level testing; malaria testing and treatment; free prescriptions; preventive health talks focusing on hygiene, maternal health, and nutrition.
The scheme was conducted under the theme: ‘Bringing Healthcare to the Community.’
Newsmen who visited the venue of the scheme found that enthusiastic beneficiaries had thronged the area as early as 7a.m. After setting up, the medical team began attending to the patients.
Mr. Jerry Onwuso, a 63-year-old patient, who was first to see eye doctors and got eye glasses and drugs, told newsmen that he was pleased with the medical intervention.
He made it clear he did not pay any money to get all the treatments and glasses, and pleaded that the scheme be sustained.
Another patient, Loveth Sam, expressed satisfaction with the scheme and appealed to the sponsors to continue to increase the benefits.
Throwing some light on the scheme, Mr. China said he worked in Meridian Hospitals as a Lab. Scientist 19 years ago, but resigned because he could not bear to see patients struggling for life because they had no money to pay for treatment.
He said he came back to help extend free medical treatment to the less privileged.
Sources said China was always having issues with the hospital authorities when he would insist on critical patients being allowed to be treated first, with or without money.
Years later, China, who now goes by a brand name, the Mayor of Housing, returned to the Meridian Hospital headquarters to support free medical scheme.
He also went the next day to the headquarters of Meridian, after the one-day medical outreach, to give cash gifts and palliatives to workers he met when he worked there but had remained in service since he left.
He encouraged them to continue to give their all to humanity through the hospital. The Mayor of Housing called most of them by name and a cloud of emotions descended on them during the reunion.
Appreciating the gesture, the Founder and Chief Medical Director, Dr. Iyke Odo, said China had always manifested hard-work, ambition, and impulsive giving.
According to him, the then young bright boy was full of humanity, kindness, love, and made friends easily, adding that “not everybody that gives is a giver. The difference is that givers are given to give.”
Dr. Odo used the opportunity to call on governments to review Nigeria’s health insurance system and make it work in Nigeria to save lives.
He said it was sad watching critically sick persons abandoned because they did not have money for treatment.
He also condemned harsh tax and electricity tariffs whereby facilities like his now pay N12 million instead of N500,000 few years back.
He wondered why hospitals were being made to pay tariffs like oil companies, citing many other countries where medical facilities were placed on low rates and tariffs so they could charge moderate fees from patients.
The Renewed Hope Initiative in conjunction with the Rivers State Government has empowered 500 elderly citizens in Rivers State with financial support of N200,000 each.
The empowerment programme was part of activities to celebrate the third anniversary of the Renewed Hope Initiative Elderly Support Scheme RHIESS, a social investment policy initiated by the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu.
Speaking at the event which held at the Government House, Port Harcourt, recently, under the theme, ‘Finding Joy in Old Age,’ Senator Tinubu said the gesture which has become traditional since 2023 was a mark of gratitude in recognition of the invaluable contributions of the senior citizens to nation building.
The First Lady who was represented by the wife of the Rivers State Governor and State Coordinator of the Renewed Hope Initiative, Lady Valerie Fubara, said the scheme was to “support two hundred and fifty (250) vulnerable elderly citizens aged 65 and above in all the 36 states of the federation, the Federal Capital Territory, and veterans from the Defence and Police Officers’ Wives Association (DEPOWA) totalling 9,500 selected beneficiaries across the nation.
She urged the beneficiaries to engage in activities that will make them find joy in old age.
“I encourage you to continue playing your part by staying healthy and active, nurture both your body and mind through regular exercise and meaningful engagement,” Senator Tinubu advised.
On her part, Lady Fubara said the State Government through the magnanimity of the governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has increased the beneficiaries of the programme from 250 to 500.
She restated the commitment of the State Government towards provision of social welfare and improving the standard of living of the elderly in the State.
Also speaking, the Executive Secretary, Rivers State Contributory Health Protection Programme (RIVCHPP), Dr Vetty Agala, said the State Government has through the Health4allrivers Initiative, introduced free medical care for senior citizens in the State, in line with the Renewed Hope Initiative.
