By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Dr Maikanti Baru, has charged oil and gas workers across the country to work assiduously towards proffering viable solutions to the industry’s numerous challenges.
Dr Baru made the call during the closing ceremony of the 17th edition of the Nigerian Oil & Gas Industry Games (NOGIG 2018) held on Saturday at the Teslim Balogun Stadium in Lagos.
He also called upon the oil workers to get involved in sporting activities towards improving their productivity and service delivery.
“Without doubt, there are lots of advantages in getting involved in sports. People who participate in sports exhibit quality lifestyle both at home and in the workplace. Since they are more active, their brains proffer some of the most efficient and viable solutions to the challenges of the Industry today,” Dr Baru stated.
According to the GMD, a number of ailments are attributable to inactivity characterized by lack of exercise and a care-free lifestyle among people.
The GMD also tasked the participants to always make integrity and sportsmanship their watchword. “This is because at the end of it all, every one of you here is considered a winner.”
Congratulating the various sportsmen and women who participated at the biannual sporting showpiece, Dr Baru called upon them to go back to their respective companies and unleash their potentials towards maximum productivity and effective service delivery for the benefit of the entire Oil and Gas Industry.
He said NNPC remained committed to identifying with the lofty ideals of the games which he said were aimed not just at mere participation, but fostering unity and cordial relationships among the entire oil and gas workforce across the nation.
He commended the Local Organising Committee for its tireless effort towards ensuring “not only a successful tournament but one that everyone in the industry is proud of”
Earlier in her remarks, the Representative of the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources and the Director, Safety, Healthy & Environment at the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), Mrs Onyebuchi Sibeudu described sports as a unifying force among people which should always be encouraged.
She expressed satisfaction over the performance of the sportsmen and women, stressing that some of the talents on display today show that the Oil and Gas Industry has what it takes to take Nigeria to sporting stardom.
Several other chief executive officers of the International Oil Companies (IOCs) operating in Nigeria spoke on the attraction for sports to forge lasting friendship and strategic partnerships amongst oil workers in the country.
At the end of the week-long games, Shell Nigeria emerged the overall winners, clinching nine gold, 10 silver and eight bronze medals to cart home the 2018 trophy.
NNPC placed second with eight gold, 10 silver and 13 bronze medals, while the third place went to Chevron, which amassed seven gold, two silver and five bronze medals.
NLNG beat ExxonMobil to fourth place after winning five gold, five silver and five bronze medals with ExxonMobil, collecting two gold, five silver and six bronze medals. NAOC took sixth position with two gold, two silver and nine bronze medals.
While Seplat and OVH Energy failed to appear on the medals table, Total, NCDMB, DPR, Eroton and PTI placed 7th, 8th, 9th, 10 and 11th respectively.
The bi-annual tourney, which is the 17th in the series, featured 10 events namely: football, basketball, swimming, 8-ball pool, chess, scrabble, athletics, squash, lawn tennis and table tennis.
