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By Joel Anekwe
The new head office of the Nigeria Liquified Natural Gas (NLNG) in Port Harcourt was officially opened for operations on Wednesday.
This was as the Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike, dismissed as “conspiracy” the narrative that the region was not safe for business.
Speaking at the occasion, Wike accused international oil companies of being part of a conspiracy theory that the Niger Delta is unsafe in order not to relocate their corporate headquarters to the region.
He observed that so long as this kind of negative narrative, geared at perpetuating injustice, is not addressed, the country’s corporate existence and stability would continue to be threatened.
He noted that for several years, multinational oil companies and some vested interest groups have been promoting the negative narrative that Niger Delta is not safe in order to legitimise their sheer refusal to relocate their corporate head offices to the region.
“If Rivers State is not safe, why will NLNG be operating in Rivers State and have its headquarters in Rivers State. So those proponents of insecurity please try to have a second thought. This state is safe. If the state is not safe you cannot construct this edifice”, the governor stated.
He said it was morally offensive for oil companies to continue to exploit oil and gas in the Niger Delta and locate their headquarters elsewhere in the country, adding that the the claim that the Niger Delta is unsafe was untenable.
He declared; “Understand that this conspiracy theory against the Niger Delta is a temporary thing. I can assure you, one day everybody will come back to their operating base. Nobody can change it.”
The head office is a four-storey complex with cluster buildings occupying 76,000 square metres of land and equipped with one board room, 121 office spaces, 51 meeting and huddle rooms, smart and ergonomic workstations, a library, a press centre and a creche.
Other features of the office include a transit lounge for the company’s jetty, a warehouse, a dedicated fire station, a gym, two banking halls, an ATM gallery, ample green area.
At the commissioning, Governor Wike commended the NLNG management for taking a bold step towards strengthening its relationship with the people of Rivers State. He stated that NLNG’s presence in Port Harcourt City spoke volumes of the company’s respect for Rivers people. He added that the decision by company to construct its head office in the state showed that Rivers State is safe for business.
“I am here because NLNG has shown a lot of commitment and support for the host communities and the state. The company has done well and has set an example for other companies to emulate. I am happy with what the company has done for the host communities during the construction of the building. That is what is expected. It has a very good relationship with its hosts in Bonny and in other parts of the state and I believe it will continue to enjoy a hitch-free business in the state,” Governor Wike said.
In his speech, managing director, Engr. Tony Attah, said the corporate head office, was in line with company’s vision of being a global LNG company, helping to build a better Nigeria.
He noted that the new corporate office has made the company more visible, adding that the office is an unequivocal statement that NLNG remains a committed partner to the people of Rivers State in the sustainable development of the state.
“Nigeria LNG’s resolve to relocate its corporate head office from Lagos where it was established from inception of its operation was a well thought out decision that, among other things, demonstrates our strong bond of friendship with Port Harcourt and Rivers State, even as we reinforce our commitment to stand tall as a Nigerian brand in the global marketplace.
By this action, we also attest that Rivers State is not just the ‘Treasure Base of the Nation’ but the home of uncommon hospitality which we have come to enjoy and reciprocate at every opportunity.
“Beyond building a head office for our business, the beautification of this once remote locality was also in our hearts when we started this project. Earlier in August 2018, we had opened a part of this complex – an ultra-modern transit lounge – to enable a smooth and comfortable sail between our operating base on Bonny Island and the state capital.
“The construction of the facility was actually our first major step at transforming the shoreline, and since then we have intensified our usual efforts at making the creek a viable waterway for meaningful human activities. Today, we can pride ourselves, even if modestly, as a beacon of modernity in this axis of Port Harcourt. But equally important, we hope that our presence will trigger positive developments in real estate and ancillary businesses in the area.
“The commissioning of this complex is coming at such an auspicious time in the life of Nigeria LNG, a time when we have astutely proven our self as an excellent and reliable player in the global LNG market with 20 years record and still counting. Our doggedness towards achieving even more success in both the international market and the domestic energy sector has prompted the commencement of our Train 7 project which has been avidly socialized among all critical stakeholders,” Engr. Attah said.
He stated that one of the signs of the company’s commitment to the people of Rivers State in the sustainable development of the state is the N120 billion Bonny-Bodo Road, which NLNG is partly funding, adding that some progress has been achieved in one of the most significant CSR initiatives by any single entity in the country and that the 40-kilometre road would boost economic activities and ultimately better the lives of the thousands of Nigerians in Rivers State.