Executive Chairman of Lee Engineering & Construction Limited Chief Leemon Ikpea has commended The Sun Publishing Limited for recognising the successes and contributions of indigenous companies, saying such recognition gives them confidence.

Business Person of the Year: Chief Leemon Ikpea
According to Ikpea, who is The Sun Business Person of the Year 2018, the newspapers’ awards make one powerful statement: That indigenous companies are as good as multinationals.

Speaking when the Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief, The Sun Publishing Limited, Mr. Eric Osagie, led a delegation to formally notify him of his selection as Business Person of the Year,

Ikpea said, “when institutions and governments encourage indigenous companies, they have confidence to do their businesses, attain success and contribute to the growth of the country.”

Ikpea said The Sun awards are an auspicious booster of morale, while promising, “we accept our recognition; we appreciate it and we will be present and be fully involved in the ceremony.”

Earlier, The Sun’s MD said Ikpea was selected as Business Person of the Year “in recognition of your giant strides and contributions in the oil and gas sector, which have boosted economic growth in the country.”

Unveiling the success story of Ikpea, Osagie said: “Your establishment of Lee Engineering & Construction Company Limited, after working for expatriates for years, changed the face of the oil and gas sector with your excellent provision of engineering, procurement and construction services.”

He said Lee Engineering had expanded its scope to achieve optimal performance in the operation and maintenance of Oil

Mining Lease (OML) 34 and “through your ingenuity, Lee Engineering is now a leading indigenous oil, gas and power services company, performing brilliantly and professionally in the league of multinationals.”

Osagie said, with the inauguration of the ultramodern $100 million fabrication plant in Warri, Lee Engineering is well placed in “the manufacturing of pressure vessels, tanks, heat exchangers, process nodules, oil and gas skids as well as other heavy-duty industrial and customised fabrications.”

He said, with these feats, Ikpea’s company has, in a great measure, “boosted the economy immensely and, therefore, has inspired hope for a better Nigeria.”

Osagie got the commitment of the Lee Engineering chairman to personally attend The Sun Awards presentation ceremony holding on January 25, 2019, at the Expo Convention Centre, Eko Hotels
& Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.