Stakeholders Laud SEPLAT For Investment In Quality Education

Stakeholders, including the Delta State Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa, on Tuesday commended Seplat Petroleum Development Company Plc, operator of the NPDC/SEPLAT Joint Venture assets- OMLs 4, 38, and 41, for promoting community development through increased access to quality education, besides inspiring peace in the communities.

Speaking during the commissioning of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), Sapele Teaching Centre, in the State, thereby promoting access to higher education through the Open and Distance Learning (ODL) programme, Okowa, who was represented by the Commissioner for Higher Education, Prof. Patrick Muoboghare, lauded SEPLAT for helping to eliminate challenges to tertiary education in the area.

Also, a former Minister of Information and Culture, now Chairman of the Delta State Advisory Council, Prof. Sam Oyovbaire, extolled SEPLAT for upholding a high level of transparency and integrity in the allocation, disbursement, and utilization of the fund allocated to its communities for the project.

He applauded the company, for particularly, ensuring the funding and completion of the NOUN teaching centre without the usual community crisis associated with the release of such development funds to communities in many areas of the Niger Delta.

Also speaking at the ceremony, the chairman of the Sapele Okpe Community, Patrick Akamovba, expressed gratitude for the support provided by SEPLAT, especially in assisting the community with the civil engineering works and renovated structures, project planning, supervision/ monitoring, and ensuring value for money. He said the centre would encourage many people from the community and the neighbouring areas to get higher education and contribute more to the economic and social development of the area and indeed the entire local government.

Commissioning the centre, the Vice-Chancellor of the university, Prof. Abdalla Adamu, represented by the Deputy VC (Academics), Prof. Uduma Oji Uduma, said the Sapele centre would complement the existing one in the Warri axis, thereby cushioning the tertiary educational constraints in the environs.

A statement by SEPLAT, quoted Roger Brown, its Chief Executive Officer, as congratulating the community for its cooperation in the selection and execution of the project, adding that education is key to the economic, political, and social dynamics of the society.

He stressed that the centre will make education available and close to the citizenry both in the rural or urban areas of Sapele, Ethiope West and Okpe Local Government Areas and the environs. This, he added, include providing many women who would not have had the opportunity to attend university outside their area of resident because of the need to take care of their family and in certain cases, support them financially by pursuing daily economic activities.

He explained that access to quality open and distance education in Sapele will boost the local economy and significantly reduce the cost of access to quality education and therefore, many parents who would ordinarily have been discouraged to send their children school because of big financial burden will be encouraged to do so in addition to mitigating against hazards associated with long road travels.

He stressed the commitment of SEPLAT “to providing opportunities for greater educational development for its host communities and Nigeria at large.”

He explained that quality education is a crucial tool for improving the prospects of higher income levels for individuals, and for the economic growth of local communities, states and the nation.

With the commissioning of the centre, in partnership with its host community, Sapele, SEPLAT said it is helping the nation to achieve Goal 4 of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which is focused on ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education and promoting life-long learning opportunities for all.”

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