By Emmanuel Edukugho
Vice Chancellors of the six Nigerian Universities which are currently benefitting from the Universities Partnering Programme (UPP) being bankrolled by Esso Exploration and Production Nigeria Limited and NNPC have declared that the intervention funding of their geology departments will go a long way in empowering them to produce quality graduates of geosciences.

These universities are Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria; Delta State University, Abraka; Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka; University of Benin, University of Calabar and University of Ibadan. Each of them has received geology equipment and cash worth about N50m, with the equipment including six brand new buses, 30 KVA generators, 10KVA  inverters, digital cameras for field  photographers, compasses, sledge hammers, mechanical sieves and shakers, among others.

The Vice Chancellor of ABU, Professor Abdullahi Mustapha commended the EEPNL for its contribution to the development of education in Nigeria through the intervention. While receiving the EEPNL team, which  include Mrs Gloria Essien-Danner, Executive Director (Public and Governmental Affairs) and Susan Eshett, Manager (Major Projects), in his university during the formal commissioning of the partnering programme, Professor Mustapha said:

“The investment you have made to the university is highly commendable. I commend your foresight and commitment to partner with the university in developing the study of geology in ABU and in supporting education in Nigeria in general,” pledging  that the university would manage the equipment efficiently.

Responding on behalf of the donor,  Essien-Danner said the company strongly believes in giving back to the society in which it operates. She praised the Ahmadu Bello University for emerging as the first tertiary institution to prepare a high-resolution geological map (Sheet 152 Gombe).

“It gladdens my heart to formally commission this project. Prospecting for oil is directly related to courses like geology. We decided to embark on this project because we do not want our children to be at a disadvantage when they meet with students from other countries”,  remarked Essien-Danner.

Expatiating on the scope of the programme, the UPP Coordinator, Dr. Lambert-Aikhionbare, stated that the programme was aimed at boosting the study of Geology in Nigeria by enhancing the knowledge of lecturers and students.

In the long run, he expects that the line of teachings of the lecturers who benefit from the training would be similar. Dr. Aikhionbare further recommended that every Geology student should receive a minimum of 100 days of field train.

“What Esso, NNPC  and SNEPCO are looking for is that the Ahmadu Bello University and other universities chosen for this project will train students adequately enough so that they can be employed by organizations like multinational oil and gas companies and contribute their quota to Nigeria” Dr. Aikhionbare,  stated.

At the commissioning ceremony of University of Benin, its Vice Chancellor, Professor Godwin Oshodin, also added his voice in praising the sponsors and the UPP initiative, which is in the final year of its pilot stage. He said the support from ESSO would stir up the passion of the students, encourage the teaching staff and positively impact on the output from the department.

“Without gainsaying, ESSO is one of the reliable corporate sponsors of UNIBEN. We thank you for this support. It is our belief that your support to the Geology department in terms of equipment, facility and cash will improve the quality of our graduates. I am sure with the improved quality they can contribute better to the oil and gas industry,” he said.

Mrs Essien-Danner used the opportunity to challenge UNIBEN to follow the footsteps of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, which has already produced a geological map of the Gombe area, by producing its own geological map before the end of the year

While donating the equipment at the University of Calabar, the Executive Director and General Manager, Exploration, Mr. Chikwendu Edodiem, who was represented by Mr. Gilbert Odior, noted that the need to contribute meaningfully to the development of the country’s education sector as a responsible corporate citizen was the motive behind the massive investment in the project.

“This is a huge investment and we are proud to have initiated the programme. With the investment in the universities and students, we sincerely hope we have been able to achieve the goals and objectives of the programme which include an improvement in quality of graduates from the universities. The items donated today will help the department to enhance this quality,” he said.

The representative of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), a co-sponsor of the project at the Calabar commissioning, Mrs Iyabo Ayobami-Ojo said: “It is an achievement for us that we have been able to attain this laudable feat through the implementation of this programme in six Nigerian universities.

It is our fervent hope that the University of Calabar will ensure that these equipment are put into good use in a manner that will positively impact on the teaching, study and practice of geosciences in the nation’s  universities; thereby achieving our main objective of improving the quality of graduates of geosciences with the ultimate aim of providing quality human resources for the oil and gas industry,” she said.

While expressing the institution’s gratitude to the sponsors, the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Professor Okon Ekpa assured that the equipment will be well maintained and used to achieve the set objective.

In 2006 when EEPNL decided to improve the study of geology in Nigerian Universities, Dr. D.O. Lambert-Aikhionbare was commissioned to conduct a fact-finding survey in the geosciences faculties of 12 Nigerian universities and to recommend a programme which the company could fund in order to enhance the quality of graduates of geosciences in Nigerian Universities.

Following the selection of the six universities for the programme, the company  injected funds into them and donated equipment worth millions of naira.

In return, the universities are expected to step up their academic standard and to also prepare a high quality map of areas of the country close to them which will be published by the Nigerian Geological Survey Agency (NGSA).

Ahmadu Bello University has fulfilled this condition having successfully produced a high-resolution geological map (Sheet 152 Gombe) which has already been endorsed by the NGSA.