Oriental Energy, Afren Donate N130m Laboratory Equipment to UNIUYO

SAN FRANCISCO, April 12, (THEWILL) - Laboratory equipment worth N130million have been donated to the Chemical Engineering Department of the University of Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.

The equipment were donated to the university , Wednesday, by two oil companies, Oriental Energy Resources and Afren Plc., as part of their corporate social responsibility.

Estimated at $750.000 (N130million), the donation and the inauguration of the equipment were made possible by the collaboration between the oil companies and the university.

The companies had earlier donated text books and scientific journals to the university.

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony which held at the university main campus, the chairman of Afren Plc, Mr Egbert Imomoh, said the the equipment would ultimately transform the department of chemical engineering of the university.

“We intend to also make the department a world class institute comparable to the very best in the world, which would consequently turn out well educated graduates in petroleum and chemical engineering,’’ he disclosed.

Imomoh said Afren intends to invite other operators in the state to join it in the partnership that would lead to the implementation of a five-year strategic development plan that would accomplish specific objectives.

The objectives, according to him, include the raising of over $18million within the period, the recruitment and retention of new teaching staff as well as acquisition of teaching and research laboratory equipment and software among others.

Welcoming the guests and donors, Vice Chancellor of the university, Professor Comfort Ekpo, commended the initiatives of the oil companies in assisting the university overcome its infrastructural problems

The inauguration ceremony was preceded by a two-day training intervention programme on basic petroleum technology for 30 participants drawn from the university .