WIEN lauds NNPC COVID-19 intervention

…Pledges test kits, lab equipment

The Women in Energy Network (WIEN), an apolitical and non-profit organization, applauds the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and the entire Oil and Gas Industry for the support extended to the Federal Government to combat the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

It would be recalled that the Nigeria Oil & Gas Industry under the leadership of the NNPC Group Managing Director, Mallam Mele Kyari, recently embarked on an industry-wide collaborative initiative to combat the pandemic.

The support under the three the support areas covering: Provision of medical consumables; Deployment of logistics and in-patient support system and delivery of medical infrastructure, initially amounted to N11bilion but increased later to N21billion.

According to a statement by the WIEN President, Mrs. Funmi Ogbue, the interventions were in addition to regular social investments through various Community Social Responsibility (CSR) projects the NNPC partners, local and international, have continued to implement in support of the national effort against the pandemic.

Mrs. Ogbue, who is also the Managing Director Zigma Oil & Gas, said WIEN) and its members are doing a lot collectively and individually to join hearts and hands with NNPC and the Nigerian government to deal with COVID-19.

“We would encourage all women and women-groups to do same. This is not the time to lag behind as all hands need to be on deck to deal with this as a country”, she said.

As the leading Women’s Association in the energy value chain, she also said that WIEN has pledged to the oil and gas industry humanitarian intervention initiative, to donate test kits and lab equipment as well as boost the testing capabilities of government, “all of which we are currently working to deliver”.

Mrs. Ogbue stated that WIEN members through their individual companies were making donations in consignments of medical consumables, logistics facilities as well as providing free food items.

She said for instance, Zigma Oil & Gas under her leadership, has been working on supplying medical equipment and doing advocacy for “clean hands”, adding that “In these difficult times, my sincere hope is that our WIEN community and the country at large, is safe and healthy and remains so as we move through COVID-19, low oil prices, and other present difficulties”.

“WIEN is working to adapt to the current environment and to find ways to serve and benefit members now and in the “new normal” as it emerges.

“To achieve these goals, we are working on hosting webinars and providing educational opportunities for our members and the general public. Through the hosting of virtual events, WIEN hopes to continue providing members and the general public with networking, educational, and leadership opportunities at this time when most of us are at home.

“As majority of the world’s children are currently out of school because of COVID-19 closures, our intervention also provides for continuing with the education of children and the youth as the impact of the current situation is expected to be widespread and devastating, particularly for women and girls.

“It is important to highlight that since the emergence of the novel coronavirus, women have played a central role in the fight against the pandemic as they comprise the bulk of the world’s frontline health workers, shouldering the burden of strenuous work and risking their lives”, the WIEN President said.

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