By Theophilus Onojeghen
Chevron Nigeria Limited has disclosed that it spent an average of $1 billion annually for contract opportunities in its area of operations, as well as investments in human and content development in the oil-rich Niger Delta region.
This is even as the firm reaffirmed its commitment to lowering carbon emissions and gas flaring in Nigeria, disclosing that routine gas flaring has been reduced by 97 per cent in the last ten years in its area of operation.
CNL’s General Manager of Corporate Affairs, Mr. Olusoga Oduselu, made the disclosure on Tuesday at the Chief Government Ekpemupolo Press Centre in Warri, Delta State, during a one-day media capacity building for members of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Warri Correspondents’ Chapel.
The event was sponsored by Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL) for selected journalists drawn from media organisations in the Niger Delta.
Oduselu, represented by Akinbola Praise, said the firm remains committed to the training and retraining of journalists, noting that over 400 journalists had been trained in similar media capacity-building programmes across the country in recent years.
He posited that through content development activities, Chevron has transformed hundreds of lives in Niger Delta and pledged the company’s support to programmes that would continue to create an enabling environment for business and the inhabitants.
“CNL seeks to make human investments that deliver long-term transformative returns. This is achieved through our Nigerian content development activities. In Nigeria, Chevron supports Nigerian Content development by providing employment to Nigerians, and contract opportunities in all our projects up to an estimated annual average over $1 billion.
“Besides oil exploration and production, Chevron Nigeria Limited is one of the highest contributors of high-quality domestic gas in Nigeria among the IOCs. We are committed to lowering carbon emissions and reducing gas flaring in Nigeria.
“Through investments in gathering and processing of associated gas, routine gas flaring has been reduced by over 97% in the last 10 years in CNL’s operations”, Oduselu explained.
He further enjoined Nigerian journalists to remain professional in their conduct and actions, adding that Chevron would continue to partner with the media in their operation, especially in the Niger Delta region.
In his remark, Chairman of the NUJ Delta Council, Comrade Churchill Oyowe, commended Chevron for the annual capacity building for journalists in the state, stressing that the media remains a strong partner to all IOCs in the country.
Oyowe called on media practitioners to exercise caution and fact-check reports before publishing, adding that there is a need to have an entry template for would-be journalists as there is with other professions such as law and medical disciplines.
While delivering his welcome remark, the chairman of NUJ Warri Correspondents’ Chapel, Comrade Victor Okpomor, commended Chevron for the sponsorship of the programme, and urged other IOCs and indigenous oil firms to emulate the CNL’s gesture of training journalists annually.
In his lecture titled “PIA: Role of the Media in Educating the Host Communities,” Prof. Majority Oji, Dean of the Media and Communication Faculty, Delta State University, Abraka, noted that the media is very key for enlightening the host communities on the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).
In doing this, Prof. Oji highlighted the need for IOCs and other critical stakeholders in the oil and gas sector to use the various arms of the media to educate members of the host communities on their duties and responsibilities regarding the PIA.
Oji, a professor of mass communication, enjoined journalists to imbibe the 3Rs (Race, Religion & Region) of development communication while discharging their roles as promoters of peace, information disseminators, and opinion molders.
Dr. (Mrs.) F.O. Atubi from DELSU Abraka, in her lecture titled “Role of the Media in Strengthening Relationship between the IOCs and Host Communities,” urged the media industry to see their role as that of “husband and wife” while partnering the IOCs and the host communities.
Also, a tech expert, Mr. Philip Nwosu, called on media practitioners to see artificial intelligence as tools that would help them get their work done speedily, noting that AI has not come to replace human efforts.
