By Michael Eboh

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Thursday, disclosed that oil and gas companies operating in the country would spend about N12.18 billion for the construction of medical infrastructure across the six geopolitical zones of the country.

In a statement in Abuja, the NNPC stated that the sum represented 53 per cent of the N21 billion pledged in kind as medical intervention by the Nigerian oil and gas industry to combat COVID-19 and improve on healthcare delivery in the country.

The NNPC noted that already, 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.

It further stated that medical consumables and logistic support had been delivered to 20 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), while end of June 2020 is set for states yet to receive.

Group Managing Director of the NNPC, Mallam Mele Kyari, who leads the intervention group, disclosed 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.

In addition, Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division of the NNPC, Dr. Kennie Obateru, stated that the group’s Governance Committee comprising managing directors of oil companies and other industry players, headed by the NNPC boss, had also allocated 26 per cent of the intervention funding to the deployment of logistics and in-patient support systems and 21 per cent of the sum to provision of medical consumables across the Country.

According to him, all the initiatives by the respective stakeholders form part of their usual Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme/commitments.

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He said, “Medical consumables, comprising respirators, protective suits and test kids 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.

“States that have 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 involved in the initiative.”

He explained that the oil industry intervention group is made up of the NNPC, Oil Producers Trade Section (OPTS), Independent Petroleum Producers Group (IPPG), Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN), Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers (DPPMA), Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria (PETAN) and Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Limited (NLNG).

Obateru noted that the Nigerian oil and gas industry under the leadership of the NNPC had embarked on the industry-wide collaborative intervention in recognition of the ravaging impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the critical sectors of the national economy.

According to him, the initiative is 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.

Vanguard Nigeria News