Guardian

IN a bid to give back to its host communities, an indigenous oil marketing firm, Techno Oil Limited has invested about N200 million on community development projects under its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) scheme.

The Managing Director of the Company, Tony Onyeama, who made this known during the inauguration of an ultra-modern Information Communication Technology Center at Dr. Lucas Memorial Grammar School, Apapa, Lagos, restate the oil firm’s commitment to the socio-economic development of its host community.

Onyeama said the company believed that providing empowerment for the teeming population should be a joint responsibility, therefore it has also decided to adopt a school, under the Lagos State programme in other to turn around the dwindling fortunes of education in the state.

According to him, the projects would create a congenial environment to engender teaching and learning, emphasising that quality of education at primary and secondary levels is critical indicator of potential GDP growth.

He stressed that several schools in Anambra, Rivers and Lagos State among others, have benefited from the CSR scheme, while plans are in top gear to extend to other schools of the federation.

“We have made impact in some institutions of learning. Two years ago, we upgraded dormitory facilities at Boys Secondary School, Agulu, Anambra State. We are proud of the fact that today, the school’s facilities have become modernised for the benefit of students. Similarly, we provided perimeter fencing at the Federal Government Girls College, Abuloma in Rivers State to prevent encroachment and threat to safety of students. We have also assisted some schools in parts of the country with learning aids, including library facilities.

“We have come a long way in executing CSR projects for the benefit of Nigerian citizens. With the inauguration of this project today, Techno oil would have expended over N200 million on CSR projects since we commenced business 15 years ago,” he said.

The ICT center has 41 fully-equipped workstations to cater for over 1,200 students, including a power generating set to power the facility. The company also made commitment to fund the staffing of the centre with a full time ICT tutor to ensure that students are provided the opportunity to acquire ICT skill needed to compete in the technology-driven world.

The representatives of the Deputy Governor, Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire and the Commissioner for Education, Olayinka Oladunjoye applauded the gesture demonstrated by Techno Oil, adding that it would no doubt promote and support the effective use of technology especially in social development for students as well as increase access to global information via Internet.