More commendations trail Chevron partnership with Lagos NUJ on capacity building for Journalists

More commendations trail
Chevron partnership with Lagos NUJ on capacity building for Journalists

Three days after the Oil producing giant, Chevron Nigeria Limited trained 30 members of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Lagos State Council, the Company is still receiving encomiums on the programme.

Participants, who benefited from the capacity building programme, which took place on Monday, December 18, 2023, at Lagos Airport Hotel Ikeja, in partnership with Lagos NUJ, applauded Chevron for the support given to make the training a huge success.

The Theme ; ‘Enhancing Business and Economy: The Role of the Media’ which was unbundled into four categories was the focal point of the training.

In his remarks, Mr.Esimaje Birikinn, the General Manager, Policy, Government and Public Affairs, Chevron Nigeria Limited, who was represented by Joy Emeghara, commended journalists for generating content that informs, educates and enlightens the society.

He commended media professionals for being agenda-setters and opinion moulders.

His words : “I want to thank you for your impactful role in reporting the oil and gas industry and providing effective perspectives to the complex industry operations.

“We will continue to partner with the media for the development of the society. In this light, we also recognise the need for capacity building of the media practitioners to enhance their capacity to perform their duties.

“We also contribute to the sustainable development of communities where we operate”.

The participants, who were drawn from Conventional, Print and online media had a robust time, as Resource persons took them through topics such as Reshaping Nigeria’s Oil & Gas Industry: Role of the Media, Marine Economy and Harnessing the Nation’s Potentials: The Media Perspective, Understanding and Interpreting the Budget as well as Money & Capital Markets In Transforming the Economy: The Media Perspective.

At the end of the training, participants lauded Chevron Nigeria Limited for investing hugely in the Niger-Delta Region of Nigeria, while calling on Chevron to do more in the local communities.

They also demanded transparency and accountability in the oil, gas and solid minerals sectors.

Lagos Journalists applauded President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for unbundling the ministry of Transport, while urging Mr, Adegboyega Oyetola, Minister of Marine and Blue Economy to engage multi-national companies operating in Nigeria’s maritime sector to engage indigenous shipping companies and not operate chartering arrangement with foreign ship owners.

Participants also advised the government to invest in maritime tourism, maritime security and capacity development for seafarers.

They further tasked fellow journalists to scrutinise past budgets estimates to be sure that previous provisions are not embedded in the current budget, adding that Journalists must probe project costs to help check whether the capital projects estimate tally with the cost of such projects in other countries.

Chevron Nigeria Limited was highly commended by participants for deeming it fit to extend its capacity building programme to members of NUJ Lagos State Council, in spite of the dwindling resources at a time like this.

The participants, therefore, urged other multi-nationals to take a cue from Chevron Nigeria Limited by investing in capacity development for Journalists in Lagos State.

Holistically, the programme was a well thoughtout initiative and met expectations of all the participants.