In its characteristic gesture as a people-centred business concern, Aiteo Eastern Exploration has generously contributed to an intervention fund totalling N11.4 billion, which has been donated to the federal and state governments in their fight against the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in the country.
In a move initiated to play a pivotal role in addressing the scourge in Nigeria, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and thirty-three (33) oil and gas companies came together to raise the whooping sum to support the healthcare delivery facilities in Nigeria.
In his address to newsmen in Abuja, Group Managing Director of the NNPC, Mallam Mele Kyari, disclosed that the intervention by the oil and gas firms was aimed at supporting healthcare delivery facilities in Nigeria and would cover three key thematic areas especially within this period of the Coronavirus pandemic, which include: the provision of medical consumables, deployment of logistics and in-patient support system, and delivery of medical infrastructure.
The three thematic support initiatives amounted to a total of $30 million and would be delivered in phases starting from March 27, 2020.
Kyari revealed that the 33 partners who contributed to the intervention were drawn from the upstream sector, from the Oil Producers Trade Section of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) and the Independent Petroleum Producers Group.
“In recognition of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Nigerian population and economy, the Nigeria oil and gas industry under the leadership of the Mele Kyari has embarked on an industry-wide collaborative intervention initiative to combat the pandemic and its attendant impact,” a statement release said.
“The intervention initiative is in alignment with the ongoing Federal Government’s efforts and in collaboration with the NCDC to curb the pandemic.”
Kyari explained that to address the increasing demand for medical services the oil and gas sector would immediately provide medical consumables covering test kits, medical protective suits and ambulances to the impacted area.
He added that this would be followed in the next few days with the deployment of ventilators, beds and temporary intensive care facilities across the geopolitical zones of the country.
Kyari identified some of the companies who donated to include Shell Group of Companies, ExxonMobil Group, Total Group, Chevron Group, Eni Group, Addax Petroleum and Aiteo Eastern Exploration.
Also included are Niger Delta Petroleum Resources Limited, Oando Oil Limited, Oriental Energy Resources Limited, Pillar Oil Limited, Platform Petroleum Limited, Seplat Petroleum Development Company Plc, and Shoreline Natural Resources.
Aiteo Group has always played big in corporate social responsibility. Besides providing job in their tens of thousands to Nigerians, the conglomerate has shown time and time again that its social investment is not a fluke.
Host communities, social institutions and cultural organisations have continued to be beneficiaries of Aiteo’s munificence. Its host communities are always sought for inputs and partake in economic benefits through employment and offers of training programmes and supporting local businesses. Communal needs of hosts are not only attended to, but their cultural values and festivities are also embraced and supported.
Donations to charities and religious and cultural organisations are given on a regular basis while interventions in social investment projects are recurrent in the group corporate social responsibility policy.
Awards of scholarships and encouragement of indigent students of host communities to take up engineering and technical courses also prominently feature in its CSR.
Aiteo’s donation of N500 million to the Bayelsa Education Development Trust Fund remains the largest donation to the fund since its enactment into law on March 29, 2017.
Aiteo scored big with football when it signed a five-year partnership agreement of N2.5 billion with the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) – the most lucrative deals ever signed by the football body.
