A total of 5,150 patients will receive different eye and other medical treatments from the NNPC/Seplat Energy JV ‘Eye Can See’ programme 2023 (Eastern Asset) which kicked off on Thursday, October5, 2023 in Owerri, Imo State.
The ongoing programme was planned to screen 3,000 persons, perform 150 cataract surgeries and provide 2000 reading glasses and other related examinations and treatments.
The initiative was the signature Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) healthcare programme of the NNPC/Seplat Energy JV, designed to provide quality eye care for people in its host communities, and it is in line with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3, purposed to deliver good health and wellbeing, to ensure healthy lives and promote wellbeing of all at all ages.
Bala M. Wunti, chief Upstream Investment Officer, who was represented by Ibi-Ada Ifofor, MD Seplat East Onshore said that NNPC Limited was a socially responsibility business that geared towards the economic empowerment of the host communities as well as Nigeria as a country.
“We are sensitive to the needs of the people and our goal is to ensure that Nigerians benefit from CSR intervention based on verifiable and critically assessed needs of the various identified beneficiary states across the country,” he said.
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Wunti further said: “Eye Can See initiative is the signature corporate social health programme of NNPC Limited/Seplat Energy, which was drawn to provide quality eye care in the host communities. It was aimed at preventing and reducing cases of permanent loss of vision, provide free reading glasses and treat eye-related challenges.
“The programme, which commenced 12 years ago, has so far over 86,226 patients screened; over 38,555 glasses dispensed, and over 3,757 eye surgeries performed successfully.”
Ibi-Ada Ifofor, managing director of Seplat Energy East Onshore, added that the programme takes place every year as a result of the cooperation of the host communities allowing Seplat Energy to operate and that NNPC/Seplat Energy Joint Venture sincerely appreciated everything the people of host communities have done.
She further said that a lot of eye surgeries have been done but pleaded with the people in the host communities to continue to partner with them.
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Henry Okafor, Imo State commissioner for Niger Delta Affairs commended Seplat Energy for working hard in the host communities in the state.
“One thing about the Imo State government is that it is a government that really appreciates those who are working hard. There are many companies working in Imo State, the government is watching keenly on how each of these companies are performing.
“And I must tell you that in Seplat, we have confidence; they have been consistent and are doing very well in Imo State,” he said.
Okafor further said that the people of the oil communities needed the medical services put in place by Seplat and that such would go a long way to entrenching deeply the good relationship of Seplat and the people.
“Whatever you are doing for our people, make sure that we are aware of it because we are documenting. So, whatever you are doing for our people make sure that the Imo State government keeps record,” he said.
