Tony Anichebe 
The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Gas, Hon. Ekperikpe Ekpo, has commended the NNPC Exploration & Production Limited (NEPL) and Natural Oilfield Services Limited (NOSL) for maintaining a robust relationship with their host communities.
The Minister during an official visit to OML-13, the operational base of NEPL and NOSL in Akwa Ibom State on Tuesday, expressed his satisfaction with the company’s strong ties with the communities, which have fostered peaceful operations.
Ekpo urged NEPL and NOSL to expedite the establishment and implementation of the Host Community Development Trust Fund, as mandated by the Petroleum Industry Act 2022, and to extend power supply from the flow station to the communities, so they can experience the positive impact of the company.
The Minister emphasized that the operations of NEPL and NOSL would enhance the country’s gas production capacity. He also assured that the Federal Government was ready to support the company in achieving its production targets.
The management of the NEPL-NOSL, stated that the company, has a production facilities with a capacity of 60,000 barrels of oil per day and 90 million standard cubic feet of gas per day. The Company expects to reach its full production potential before the end of the year.
We consider our host communities as critical partners, and we have given utmost attention to our community development projects (CDP). Our priority is to ensure our communities are positively impacted by being involved in our day-to-day operations,” he explained.
The Management added that the company has executed several programmes and projects that have directly improved the lives and living standards of the host communities, with many more projects in the pipeline.
“We have carried out numerous community development projects, including medical outreaches, scholarship grants for students in higher institutions, the provision of medical equipment to hospitals, skills acquisition training programs, construction of boreholes, roads, and bridges, distribution of school furniture, laptops, electronic tablets, transformers, and more.
The company is planning additional community development programs for the people.”
The Minister’s visit provided the Minister and his team with the opportunity for a firsthand assessment of the oil and gas production facilities at OML-13 in Eastern Obolo Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.
The inspection which was in line with President Bola Tinubu’s vision of a Green Nigeria within three to five years, had the Zonal Manager Akwa Ibom and Cross River Zonal Operations of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Dr Uduak Obot, Senior Technical Adviser to the Minister, Abel Nsa, Mr Olalekan Ogunleye – EVP gas, as part of the Minister’s entourage.
