Stephanie Igben, Loveth Chinagoron and Favor Edgar
Seplat Energy Plc, operators of the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC)/SEPLAT joint venture has kicked off the 9th edition of its annual Eye Can See Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme with a major activation at the Oba of Benin’s palace.
The company in a statement signed by the Manager, Corporate Communications, External Affairs and Sustainability, at Seplat Energy Plc, Mr. Stanley Opara, stated the programme witnessed a large turnout of people from within and outside of Benin City who showed up to have their eyes checked, obtain prescription glasses, or get operated upon to remove visual impairing cataracts.
He said the programme would be deployed in different centres across Delta and Edo States, adding that thousand of Nigerians would be screened for eye ailments, surgeries performed, and eye glasses dispensed.
In his remarks, the Oba of Benin, who was represented by the Eribo of Benin Kingdom, Chief Oviesoge lauded Seplat for supporting and enhancing the physical and mental wellbeing of members of its host communities and pledged his kingdom’s support to the Company and its activities.
He commended the Company’s resolve to continue to invest in its areas of operation, saying the move had helped to boost the fortunes of the areas.
In a related development, Seplat Energy Plc has commenced its second edition of the Seplat JV Teachers Empowerment Programme (STEP) in Edo and Delta States by training additional 200 teachers and Chief Inspectors of Education (CIEs) on global best practices in the field of education.
The training is part of Seplat’s commitment to improve quality education and teaching in Nigeria.
According to Opara, the STEP initiative remained an educational programme created by Seplat Energy and its partners, the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC), schemed to enhance the teaching skills of secondary school teachers.
He noted that the initiative was aimed at promoting teachers’ creative thinking and enabling higher student engagement towards a well-rounded education to improve the country’s standard of education, particularly in Seplat’s host states.
He said the second edition of STEP, which started with a 3-day residential workshop, took place at the Randekhi Gold Event Hall, GRA Benin City, Edo State, on September 3, where a total of 200 teachers and CIEs in Edo and Delta states qualified as trainees of the programme.
Commenting on the STEP initiative, the Chief Executive Officer, Seplat Energy Plc, Mr. Roger Brown, explained Seplat’s commitment to empowering and creating value for the people in its host areas and Nigeria as a whole, adding that the company’s continuous investment in educational initiatives remained a testimonial.
Brown added: “We have invested substantially in various educational Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programmes in Nigeria which support Sustainable Development Goals, Goal 4, because of our strong belief that education is the bedrock for national development. We are very conscious of the fact that globally, achieving quality education is a function of the availability of competent teachers and good mentoring.
The Director, External Affairs and Sustainability at Seplat, Dr. Chioma Nwachuku, said training a new set of 200 teachers and Chief Inspectors of Education (CIEs) drawn from Edo and Delta states, was a clear indication of Seplat’s resolve to creating value across Nigeria.
