Employees of Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL), Operator of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC)/CNL Joint Venture, in collaboration with the Company’s management, rebuilt, furnished and commissioned a block of six- classrooms at Ilasan Secondary School, Lekki, Lagos. The project, which was executed under the company’s Employee Volunteer Program (EVP), was handed over to the school on Tuesday, May 20, 2014.
Under this programme, the company has put a scheme in place for employees to give their time and money towards a worthy project and then the company will match the funds raised by the employees to ensure that the project is executed.
The building was an existing dilapidated school block, which was reconstructed and equipped with classroom furniture. Additionally, concrete flooring was provided to a section of the school compound, the school’s outstanding electricity bills were offset and the entire school compound was hooked-up to the national electricity supply grid.
In his remarks at the ceremony, CNL Chairman and Managing Director, Mr. Andrew Fawthrop, represented by Mr. Sam Otuonye, Manager, Policy, Government & Public Affairs, Lagos, commended the CNL employees for raising a substantial amount of money from their own personal income and the Government of Lagos State for supporting the reconstruction of the classrooms. He said: “Today’s event is another demonstration of the value which the company places on partnership, as stated in what we call the Chevron Way™, a set of sound ethics that directs all we do and the way we do things at CNL. ” He also appreciated the students and staff of Ilasan Secondary School for their efforts in ensuring the successful completion of the project.
Lagos State Commissioner of Education who was represented by Mrs. Oluyinka Bello, a director in the Ministry of Education, commended CNL and its employees for the gift. According to her, “A nation that neglects its youths has no future. I thank Chevron and others responsible for this project for caring for our youths and assisting the nation to have a future.”
Mr. Comas Iwueze, General Manager Exploration and Asset Development of CNL, who spoke on behalf of the employees who co-funded the project, was grateful to CNL for providing the counterpart funding for the implementation of the project. He noted that the project was scoped and executed without any injury which is in keeping with CNL’s focus on safety.
CNL’s EVP programme is a policy that encourages employee’s personal involvement in the communities where they live and work. The programme includes matching gifts, employee involvement funds and volunteer-time based gift programme. Several orphanages, schools, Universities and communities have benefitted significantly from projects initiated by CNL employees and co-funded by CNL under this scheme.
