By Elizabeth ADENUGA
The Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Dr. Maikanti Baru, has pledged to encourage the corporation’s workforce to engage in sports to boost their productivity and healthy living condition.
Dr. Baru made this pledge while speaking at the ceremonial tee-off of the 2019 NNPC GMD’s PRO AM Golf Tournament at the IBB International Golf and Country Club in Abuja.
He pledged that the corporation would always support the annual event in keeping with his management’s vision, adding that with the gesture, he looked forward to seeing international players participate in the tournament.
The NNPC GMD urged staff to seize every opportunity to engage in sporting activities to enable them maintain a healthy lifestyle and remain productive at work.
“We as a corporation believe in the development of sports because it is very high in our agenda and this inclination has reflected in our output over time. Staff that participate in sports are very productive and healthy. The GMD’s golf tournament has been revived in Kaduna, Benin, Port Harcourt and Lagos. We will make sure that facilities in all these golf courses are improved to international standards to attract international players,” Dr. Baru assured.
He also commended the leadership of the IBB Golf Course for the long standing cordial relationship with the corporation and for couching some staff who have indicated interest in the game of golf.
Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, who was represented by the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Engr. Simbi Wabote, applauded the NNPC for sustaining the GMD’s yearly tourney, stressing that the corporation was now renowned for supporting golf across the country.
He described golf as an efficient management game that gives the players the opportunity to walk for 10 kilometres, even as they are able to imbibe excellent managerial skills.
On his part, former GMD of NNPC, Dr. Jackson Gaius-Obaseki, under whose tenure the golf tournament was initiated, applauded the Dr. Baru-led management for reviving and sustaining the GMD’s golf tournament.
Captain of the club, Ahmed Oseni, thanked the NNPC for the sponsorship of the tournament and assured of the readiness of the club to continue to partner with the corporation to grow the game of golf in the country.
Highpoint of the tournament was the presentation of trophies to various winners in both men and women categories.
The 2019 GMD’s PRO AM Golf tournament attracted a lot of avid golfers from across the country.
