By Henry  Umoru 

ABUJA- THE Senate has hailed Lee Engineering and Construction Company Limited for its patriotism and huge contributions to the development of the nation’s Oil and Gas sector.

In a letter to the Company and made available  to Journalists  yesterday  in Abuja, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Gas, Senator Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe, who commended Lee Engineering for its unrelenting patriotism and huge investments in the Oil and Gas industry in Nigeria declared that the company’s patriotism, huge workforce of over four thousand employees coupled with its value-added drive in the Oil and Gas industry in Nigeria deserves the committee’s support in all its ramifications.

Recalled that the  Senate  had last week  vowed to ask the Economic  and Financial   Crimes Commission, EFCC  and other anti-graft agencies to go after defaulting beneficiaries of N135 billion disbursed by the Central  Bank of Nigeria,  CBN for the purpose of national gas expansion programme.

According to the Senate Committee on Gas Resources that is investigating the N135bn CBN  intervention funds to some firms in the oil and gas sectorm it will not stop at inviting the EFCC to ensure that the money was recovered.

In a one-page letter dated December 5, 2023, personally signed by the committee chairman, Senator Jarigbe and addressed to the Managing Director and CEO of Lee Engineering, the Senate Committee on Gas said: “The Senate Committee on Gas writes to commend you on your activities in the Oil and gas sector in Nigeria. 

 The Committee’s investigations revealed that you have invested hugely in the Oil and Gas industry, with a staff strength of over four thousand employees. We found no infractions associated with your company”. 

The Senate Committee while pledging to support Lee Engineering and Construction Company Ltd, as one of Nigeria’s leading indigenous companies in the oil and gas sector operating as a frontline Engineering, procurement, construction, operations and maintenance company (EPCOM), commended you (Lee Engineering & Construction Company Ltd) for your patriotism and pledge to support you in adding value and creating wealth for the Nation.” 

Also recall that Lee Engineering and Construction Company Ltd was among fifteen firms invited recently by the Senate Committee on Gas to throw light on operational  milestones they have attained with facilities advanced to them individually under the supervision of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) ( which was provided by commercial banks) under stringent guidelines and protocols. 

In its response, Lee Engineering and Construction Company Ltd, had in a detailed and convincing presentation made by the company’s legal adviser, Mr. Matthew Agbadon and the firm’s Executive Director, Finance and Accounts, Mr. Benedict Ebalukhota, explained convincingly and explicitly its operational milestones with a multi billionaire factory establishment in Warri, Delta State.

 Their presentation read in part: “Lee Engineering has been in the oil and gas industry for 32 years with over 4, 000 employees. This particular project is one of the outfits of Lee Engineering and it’s located in Warri, Delta State. If the committee is ready to visit the project today, we are ready. It is 90 percent completed. It is billed for commissioning in the first quarter of next year.  

The company added: “Our factory is a multi-billion naira factory which specialize in the fabrication and manufacturing of vital equipment and components for the oil and gas industry facilities such as flow stations, refineries, petro-chemical gas plant processing and allied facilities.”

Impressed with its findings, the Senate Committee on gas consequently lauded and applauded Lee Engineering’s enormous contributions to the development of the Oil and Gas industry in Nigeria, stressing that he Committee will support the firm accordingly all the way.