By Tejiri Ebikeme

The General Manager, Policy, Government and Public Affairs,  Chevron Nigeria Limited, Mr. Deji Haastrup has appealed to journalists in Nigeria for accuracy, fairness and balance when reporting the company’s stories.

Haastrup made this appeal in his remark during the facility visit by beneficiaries of the Chevrons-sponsored  Advance Writing and Reporting Skills (AWARES) Programme to LCC in Lagos yesterday.

He noted that he felt certain that the beneficiaries time at the Pan Atlantic University will be of immense value in their reporting.

He said in Chevron’s partnership with the media, it seeks for better understanding of its business, challenges and potential, adding that Stable, long-term partnerships demand a relentless focus on the fundamentals and partner’s interests and goals over the longer term.

Haastrup said: “CNL believes strongly in the development of human capital as the foundation of sustainable progress. We have a robust employee learning and development programme to ensure our employees are equipped with the knowledge that translates to measurable performance.”

He stressed that Chevron’s vision is to be the energy company most admired for its people, partnership and performance, saying that one of its core values as a company is partnership.

“It is our practice to partner with relevant stakeholders everywhere we operate, in our efforts to achieve common business and development goals. In Nigeria, we have established enduring partnerships with different stakeholders, among whom are governments, non – governmental organizations (NGOs), business organizations, communities and of course the media,” he noted.

He said that in over five decades of operating in Nigeria, CNL has excelled in its core business of petroleum exploration and production, and has become a leading player in the country’s oil and gas industry.

“Through the provision of energy resources, we continue to contribute to the socio-economic development of the nation.  And through programmes such as AWARES, we build professional capacity and lasting partnerships with stakeholders.

“We recognize that our business success is deeply intertwined with the success of the larger society and we believe it is in our long term interest to add value to society as we create value for our shareholders.

We therefore go beyond the traditional contributions that may have physically improved a neighborhood, but did little to influence society in sustainable ways. CNL seeks to make investments that deliver long-term, transformative returns. We strengthen the societies where we work,” added Haastrup.