News
SNEPCo Harps On Safety Ahead Of Bonga TAM
Nigeria’s premier deep-water oil and gas exploration and production company, Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company Limited (SNEPCo), has said that the scheduled turnaround maintenance (TAM) of its offshore Bonga asset would be defined by safety as top priority.
SNEPCo’s Managing Director, Elohor Aiboni, gave this charge at a session with the chief executive officers of contractor companies participating in the Bonga TAM scheduled for October.
“The Bonga TAM is important to revitalise this important critical national asset. But more important is carrying out the turnaround safely. That is what keeps me awake at night. It is our top priority as a company, and we promote this by encouraging our staff and contractors to speak up and work only if it is safe,” Aiboni said.
She challenged the CEOs to embrace the culture of encouraging their staff to speak up and stop work if safety is being compromised.
“It is the only way your organisations can thrive as they work to ensure the safe delivery of services for Bonga’s rebirth.”
SNEPCo’s Senior Asset Management Integration Lead, Jonathan Amakiri, described the session with the senior executives of the industry service companies as a deliberate strategy to ensure alignment on safety, speed of execution, compliance, and excellence.
“It is important that we share learnings and demonstrate commitment to addressing the relevant health, safety and environment issues to keep our people safe and motivated,” Amakiri said.
Responding to the SNEPCo charge, District Service Manager, Solar Turbines Services Nigeria Limited, Marcus Flynn, pledged the support and commitment of the CEOs to safe delivery of the TAM, noting that the contractors would make safety a habit.
“We will continue to make safety a way of life. That is the least we owe SNEPCo and ourselves.”
SNEPCo pioneered Nigeria’s deep-water oil and gas production at Bonga, a project that increased Nigeria’s oil capacity by 10percent when it began producing in 2005.
Bonga is located 120km offshore and lies in water more than 1,000 metres deep across an area of 60 square kilometres.
It has the capacity to produce more than 200,000 barrels of oil a day, and 150million standard cubic feet of gas a day.
Meanwhile, no fewer than 2,000 people benefitted from the just-concluded one-week Vision First Initiative held in Lagos by SNEPCo in partnership with the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL).
The initiative is a focused eye care programme aimed at providing free medical eye care to underprivileged people to help eliminate preventable and treatable blindness among Nigerians.
Speaking about the event, SNEPCo Managing Director, Elohor Aiboni, said “This is just one of the ways to show care to people and help advance medical care among vulnerable Nigerians with little or no means to access quality medical eyecare”.
Aiboni, who was represented at the opening and closing events for the medical outreach by SNEPCo’s Business Opportunity Manager, Ibiyemi Asaolu, described the large turnout of people for the free eye care as a pointer to the huge number of Nigerians battling with preventable blindness, and who, with little help from public-spirited individuals and corporations, could regain their vision.
The Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, who was represented at the outreach by the Director for Administrative Training, Ministry of Health, Dr Olufunmilayo Shokunbi, described the programme as critical intervention, asking other corporate organisations to follow in the footstep of NNPCL and SNEPCo to support the health ambition of the state.
The Vision First Initiative, according the SNEPCo’s Regional Community Health Manager, Dr Akin Fajola, was launched in 2019, and has since taken medical eye care to various parts of the country as part of the social investment portfolio of SNEPCo and its partners.
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Waidi Shaibu, has tasked troops of Operation SAVANNAH SHIELD to dominate the battlespace and intensify offensive operations against kidnappers, bandits and other criminal elements in the North Central region.
Shaibu gave the directive yesterday during his maiden operational visit to the Headquarters, Joint Task Force North Central (JTF-NC), at Sobi Barracks, Ilorin.
This is contained in a statement by the Acting Director, Army Public Relations, Col. Appolonia Anele, in Abuja, yesterday.
Shaibu said the Nigerian Army would remain resolute in its constitutional responsibility of safeguarding lives and property, stressing that troops must sustain pressure to decisively deny criminal elements freedom of action.
He assured personnel of continued deployment of combat enablers and operational resources to enhance clearance operations and dismantle criminal hideouts across Kwara and Niger states.
The COAS reaffirmed his commitment to troop welfare, noting that improved welfare remained critical to sustaining morale, operational effectiveness and combat readiness.
He urged the troops to remain disciplined, professional and loyal to the Constitution and the democratically elected government.
Earlier, the Theatre Commander, JTF-NC Operation SAVANNAH SHIELD, Maj.-Gen. Yakubu Yahaya, commended the COAS for his strategic leadership and support.
Yahaya assured that troops would remain committed and steadfast in restoring peace and stability in the region.
The Nigerian Navy says it is expanding training and infrastructure to address emerging security threats and strengthen operational efficiency across formations and units nationwide.
The Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Adm. Idi Abbas, spoke during the inauguration of projects at the Nigerian Navy Basic Training School (NNBTS) in Onne, Rivers as part of activities marking the Nigerian Navy’s 70th anniversary.
Abbas, represented by the Flag Officer Commanding, Naval Training Command (NAVTRAC), Rear Adm. Ebiobowei Zipele, said the projects reflected significant progress made by the navy since its establishment in 1956 from the British Royal Navy.
“Training and infrastructure have improved significantly to meet contemporary security challenges and fulfil the navy’s constitutional responsibilities.”
According to him, the anniversary provides the navy an opportunity to reflect on its achievements and contributions over the past seven decades.
Projects inaugurated included a remodelled female trainees’ hostel accommodating more than 500 occupants and an expanded golf course upgraded from one to nine holes.
Others were the NNBTS fuel dump, Chief Boatswain’s Mate House, renovated pharmacy department and a new theatre block at the Naval Medical Centre, Onne.
Abbas described the new theatre as a major milestone for the navy’s medical services.
“Previously, injured personnel requiring surgeries were referred outside the facility.
“With this theatre, surgeries can now be conducted within the base.’’
He added that a 30KVA inverter had also been installed to guarantee uninterrupted electricity supply at the training school.
The naval chief assured officers, ratings and trainees that the navy leadership remained committed to their welfare and wellbeing.
“These infrastructure upgrades show the commitment of the Chief of Naval Staff to addressing operational and welfare challenges promptly,” he said.
In addition, NAVTRAC distributed educational materials to pupils of Community Primary Schools One and Two, Ogale, in Ebubu-Eleme area of Rivers.
Items distributed included exercise books, school bags and other writing materials as part of the navy’s civil-military engagement initiative.
Zipele said the outreach was designed to strengthen relations between the navy and host communities while supporting children’s education.
“Education remains critical to national growth and youth empowerment. Some of these pupils may eventually serve in the Nigerian Navy,” he said.
He noted that the initiative demonstrated the navy’s commitment to educational development, peace, security and sustainable community relations.
Zipele urged the pupils to remain disciplined, focused and committed to their studies while embracing patriotism, integrity and hard work.
He thanked the Ebubu community for its continued support for the naval training command headquarters and the navy.
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