By Thompson ABISOLA
A major facelift came the way of Pacelli School for the Blind and Partially Sighted in Lagos when Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company (SNEPCo) made donations of furniture and air conditioners to the school. This came barely a year after the staff of the company under the Shell Employees Care programme, visited the school at Christmas and made donations of food items to the 52-year-old institution established by a former Catholic Archbishop of Lagos, Leo Hale Taylor.
Speaking at the event, the Managing Director of SNEPCo, Bayo Ojulari, said: “Ours is a company reputed for diversity and inclusion and this is what is driving our interventions in special institutions such as this where we continue to support the provision of equal education opportunity for Nigerians regardless of their social, economic or physical challenges. By doing this, we are helping to transform the life of these future leaders and contributing to the growth of the Nation.
“We identify with children and senior citizens as part of our social investments portfolio which cuts across health, education and social services.”
Ojulari who was represented by SNEPCo’s Non-Operated Venture Manager, Segun Owolabi, commended the management of Pacelli for their consistent drive in giving the students good education in a conducive environment.
Also speaking, the school’s principal, Sister Jane Onyeneri, described the donations by SNEPCo as timely, coming at a time that the school infrastructure was getting overstretched and aging. “We remain grateful to SNEPCo, NNPC and their partners for your efforts in making the learning environment conducive and we challenge other corporate bodies to emulate your kindness.”
Items donated included bunk beds, mattresses, chairs and air conditioners. SNEPCo had in 2014 donated a school bus and a truck to the school for deliveries and supplies.
SNEPCo has supported many special institutions including old people’s home and Children SOS villages. In 2015, the company built and equipped the Elfavour Home Orphanage School in Kaduna.
SNEPCo pioneered Nigeria’s deep-water oil and gas production at the Bonga field, a project that increased Nigeria’s oil capacity by 10% when output began in 2005.
The company, working with its government and co-venture partners, has a long history of supporting education. About 267 students are currently on SNEPCo’s full-board scholarship in top-rated secondary schools across Nigeria while another 100 students are in different universities on the company’s scholarship.
