Esso Trains 25 Nigerian University Lecturers

Ikeja, Lagos (I-Newswire) February 10, 2012 - Esso Exploration and Production Nigeria Limited (EEPNL), a subsidiary of ExxonMobil has begun the training of 25 Nigerian lecturers on map making and interpretation, under the University Partnering Programme (UPP).

UPP is aimed at funding geological field programmes in selected Nigerian universities as a means of enhancing the quality of locally-trained geosciences graduates. In addition, it seeks to improve the skills of those making and interpreting maps and also contribute to the production of high quality geological maps in the country.

The programme which is tagged “Train - the - Trainer Field Mapping Workshop” commenced on Tuesday, February 07, 2012 and is scheduled to run till Sunday, February 12, 2012 at Auchi in Edo state. The programme is designed to expose the participating University lecturers to the current and best practices in geological field mapping and interpretation.

Speaking in Benin City, Edo State, at the opening ceremony to formally kick start the programme, Mr Andrew Ejayeriese, Manager, Deepwater Production, Geosciences, EEPNL, said the workshop was necessary to assist universities in reversing the falling standard of education in the country, particularly in geosciences.

He said: “The Train-the Trainer workshop is intended to further expose and refresh the participating lecturers from different universities across the country on current best practices in geological field mapping. We urge that everyone embraces the planned week-long activities for the inherent long term and wide spread benefits.

“EEPNL like all other subsidiary companies of ExxonMobil corporation is committed to and takes a long term view of corporate citizenship as this is a part of who we are, and how we achieve our business success. In line with this, EEPNL has so far committed about N400million (four hundred Million Naira) to the UPP scheme.”

The keynote speaker, Prof. Siyan Malomo Director-General, Nigerian Geological Survey Agency, said that the training workshop was a tremendous boost to the making of geological maps and to the growth of field geology.

According to him, Train-the-Trainer programme has re-awakened the minds of younger geologists to field mapping, stating that it is gratifying to note that majority of the field maps submitted by the universities to Nigerian Geological Survey Agency for printing were considered to be of good quality.

He thanked ExxonMobil for coming up with the scheme, adding that the scheme showed the firm was committed to developing geosciences in Nigeria.

The participating Universities in the scheme include, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Delta State University, Abraka, Nnamdi Azikwe University, Akwa, University of Benin, Benin City, University of Calabar, Calabar and University of Ibadan, Ibadan.

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