Uche Usim, Abuja
Green Energy International Limited'(GEIL), an indigenous oil company, on Sunday, disclosed plans to begin power generation from its initial 6 MW gas to power facility being constructed on its Operational base in Ikuru town, Rivers state.
The firm said that the intent is to provide uninterrupted power supply to it’s host communities in Rivers State and its production facility.
The Company’s Chairman, Prof Anthony Adegbulugbe disclosed this at a stakeholders’ workshop organised for the company by ‘Akassa Associate’ in Port Harcourt, yesterday, on Corporate social responsibility and sustainability.
Adegbulugbe said the 12MMSCFD LPG extraction Plant at Ikuru town, would be completed and commissioned for use by the second quarter of next year as fabrication has been completed in China.
According to him, GEIL which is the operator of the Otakikpo Marginal Field, has embarked on the projects in fulfillment of its gas utilization strategy which will lead ultimately to zero gas flares from its field.
He said the company is committed to the welfare and development of the communities where they operate and would do anything necessary to sustain the good relationship already built with the communities.
The host communities are, Ikuru town, the company’s operational base, Ayama, Ekede, Ugama Ekede, Asuk-oye and Asukama.
Represented in the event by the Sustainability Director , Mr Ayodele Olojede, Adegbulugbe said, “Since oil production for us is not an end in itself, but a means to achieve other development goals; already, we have moved swiftly towards the implementation of our Gas to power project anchored on the recent award by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission(NERC), of a 40MW electricity generation license.” He said.
Speaking further the chairman said “GEIL is committed to the Federal Government(FG) to utilize the gas production from the field for power and domestic gas projects the would be undertaken during the second phase of the field development.
The workshop according to him has been planned to review its CSR activities in the last five years and come up with a more robust strategy for all inclusive community development of the host communities and the Andoni area.
“I am glad that this workshop and planned visit to the communities would look closely on a befitting model for supporting our target communities with uninterrupted power supplies, just like what is being given to Bonny Island dwellers by the Nigerian Liquified Natural Gas(NLNG).
Adegbulugbe also revealed that the Schorlaship Scheme introduced for post secondary education last year has been extended to secondary schools while the collaboration with Johns Hopkins University Centre on Health intervention and livelihood support for women and youth in the host communities have commenced .
Also Speaking the Coordinator of Akassa Associates Chief Bill Knight an American who had worked on community development issues in Nigeria for over 3 decades commended the company for its focus on infrastructure and human resource development of the host communities pledging that the workshop will come up with sustainability strategies to get the communities to leverage on the resources being provided by the company .
“We will build on the success achieved in Akassa and Eastern Obolo Community Foundations to upgrade the standard of host communities of Andoni area.”
The group, according to him ,is also to design a biodiversity and conservation mechanism for the preservation of endangered animals in the area.
