The month of June flagged off the beginning of an activity-filled rest of the year for the Association. We recently had a connect with the NAPE Advisory Council and gave an update of our first-half 2023 activities as well as gave an insight as to plans for the rest of the year. The able senior leaders provided valuable steers, while saluting the Association’s efforts to date.
The NAPE Executive Committee joins the rest of the world in congratulating the new Nigerian Government led by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who was inaugurated May 29th 2023. NAPE wishes him and his team the very best as they chart the course for the country following the February 2023 elections.
NAPE continued its round of courtesy visits with a visit to Savannah Energy June 7th. Many thanks to our very own Dr. Ekere Akpan, former Uyo/Calabar Chapter Coordinator and the Savannah Energy Communications Team for facilitating this, where the NAPE EXCO team met with the Managing Director, Pade Durotoye and some members of his Management Team and discussed areas of collaboration.
This was followed by a ‘homecoming’ visit, when I led members of the EXCO June 16th to the Shell Nigeria office in Lagos to meet with the enterprising and very inspiring SNEPCo Managing Director, Mrs. Elohor Aiboni, and her Leadership Team. She saluted the Association on its resilience and strides and promised continued Shell support.
In furtherance of our Continuing Education Programme, a number of technical meetings were held across our various locations. Lagos kicked off June 21st with a meeting with the topic, ‘Virtual Pipeline: An Alternative Solution for Crude Evacuation – Challenges, Enablers and Opportunities’ presented by Elliot Olaniyan, DGM, Strategy Planning & Supply, Newcross E&P. This was followed by the Awka-Owerri Chapter which held its technical engagement June 22nd on the topic, ‘Petroleum Exploration and Production in Nigeria: Challenges and Opportunities from the 2021 PIA, Decarbonization Demands and Global Net Zero Targets’, presented by the energetic Professor Mosto Onuoha, a Professor Emeritus at the University of Nigeria Nsukka’. The June series was rounded up with the Abuja Chapter which held its June 27th meeting with the topic, ‘New Insights into Bida Basin Tectono-Stratigraphic Architecture’ and presented by Dr. Adamu Suleiman, Deputy Manager, Frontier Assets at NNPC-NEPL). On behalf of the Association, I want to extend our appreciation to all those who worked to organize these successful events.
Our Young Professionals continued to raise the bar in terms of expanding the knowledge horizon with a couple of workshops in June. I was privileged to attend the June 3rd virtual Career Development Workshop, while they held a June 17th Technical Workshop on Repositioning the Young Professionals: Skills & Training for Future Energy Dynamics.
The Universities Assistance Programme (UAP) Chairman, Philip Ajaebili, led the NAPE team to the inauguration of our newest Students’ chapter at the Niger Delta University in Bayelsa State, June 27th. Our sincere appreciation to the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Allen Agih and his team, for their warm hospitality.
The Executive Committee held a face-to-face monthly meeting June 29th. It was good to see most of the committee members and gave us a chance to also hold other meetings during that weekend as well as reflect on strategies towards achieving the plans for the rest of the year. While we recognize the inconveniences in organizing these physical meetings nowadays, we still appreciate the chance to get together once in a while.
We wish our members a well-deserved summer break for those planning to take some time off in the coming weeks.
Best Regards,
Elliot Ibie, FNAPE,
President, NAPE