By Edith Ike-Eboh
The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and its partners are investing 53 per cent of the N21 billion COVID-19 donations from the sector in construction of hospitals across the six geo-political zones in the country.
The corporation disclosed this in a statement signed by its spokesman, Dr Kennie Obateru, in Abuja, on Thursday.
“ Of the N21billion ($58million) pledged in kind as medical intervention by the Nigeria Oil and Gas Industry to combat COVID-19 and improve on healthcare delivery in the country, 53 per cent of the sum pledged has been earmarked for the construction of medical infrastructure across the six geopolitical zones in the country,’’ he said.
He said the ground-breaking ceremonies for the construction of 200-bed Infectious Diseases Hospitals with in-situ laboratory had already been held in Bayelsa, Borno and Katsina States, with that of the other locations to follow suit.
According to him, a recent report of the group’s delivery schedule indicates that other medical consumables and logistic support have been delivered to 20 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Obateru said that end of June 2020 had been set for states that had yet to receive.
He quoted the Group Managing Director of NNPC, Malam Mele Kyari, who led the intervention group, to have said that 14 medical centres in total and two Intensive Care Unit (ICU) expansion and upgrade would be delivered across the federation as part of the intervention initiative.
According to him, the group’s Governance Committee comprising Managing Directors of oil companies and other Industry players, headed by the NNPC GMD, has also allocated 26 per cent of the intervention funding to the deployment of logistics and in-patient support systems
He said that 21 per cent of the sum was also for provision of medical consumables across the country.
“All the initiatives by the respective stakeholders form part of their usual Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme/commitments.
“The report said medical consumables comprising respirators, protective suites and test kits as well as logistics and in-patient support systems among which are ambulances, ventilators and beddings and laboratory equipment have been delivered to 21 states and the Federal Capital Territory,’’ he added.
He said the States that had received medical consumables as well as logistics and in-patient support systems are: Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Borno, Delta, Ekiti, Enugu, Imo, Jigawa, Kwara, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Sokoto, Plateau and Rivers State as well as the FCT.
“Intervention is provided in kind by donors using internal transparent procurement processes driven with a clear governance structure of the various coalescing companies,’’ Obateru, said
The Oil Industry Intervention group is made up of the NNPC, Oil Producers Trade Section (OPTS), Independent Petroleum Producers Group (IPPG) and Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN).
It also includes Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers (DPPMA), Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria (PETAN) and Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Limited (NLNG).
The sector embarked on an Industry-wide collaborative intervention in recognition of the ravaging impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the critical sectors of the national economy.
The initiative was to support the ongoing Federal Government’s efforts and in collaboration with the Presidential Task Force and the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) to curb the pandemic.(NAN)
