PLATFORM PETROLEUM DONATES ULTRA-MODERN BUILDING TO UNN

.Building in honour of and named after, Pioneer MD/CO of Platform Petroleum Limited Austin Avuru

.First CSR initiative by Platform out of its area of operation.

.Building bigger than old departmental building

L-R: Chief Barrister Dumo Lulu-Briggs, Chairman Platform Petroleum Limited; Professor Benjamin Chukwuma Ozumba, Vice Chancellor UNN; Austin Avuru, CEO SEPLAT; Dr. Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources; HRM Dr. Edmund Daukoru, former Minister of State for Energy and also former Secretary General of OPEC at the commissioning in Nsukka

Platform Petroleum Limited, an indigenous oil and gas exploration and production company yesterday, Wednesday June 28, 2017 handed over an ultra-modern building to the Geology Department of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.

The event had Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu as Special guest. He was joined by other distinguished guests like Chief (Barr.) Dumo Lulu-Briggs, Chairman of Platform Petroleum, Dr. ABC Orjiako, Chairman of SEPLAT, Professor O. Sylvester Adegoke, Dr. Bolaji Ogundare, Managing Director, Newcross and HRM King Dr. Edmund M. Daukoru among others.

The edifice named Austin Avuru Building was built and donated to the department in honour of Mr. Austin Avuru, first Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Platform Petroleum Limited and current CEO, SEPLAT Petroleum Development Company Plc who graduated from the department in 1980.

A statement signed by Mr. Amaechi Moshe C. I., Ag. GMD Platform Petroleum Holdings Limited, said that the facility “which is the first CSR initiative by Platform Petroleum Limited outside of its Umutu, Delta State, operation site came out of the desire of the company to support Mr. Avuru’s desire to reduce the huge infrastructural deficit at his alma mater.”

He noted that things had gotten so bad at the Department of Geology to the extent that it was about to lose its academic accreditation.

The new building, according to the statement, is larger and more conducive than the old departmental building and will provide office space for lecturers as well as laboratories and lecture halls for students.

The gesture by the company is a reiteration of Platform Petroleum Limited’s commitment to creating value for the larger good of the society and the company is excited that the provision of this building will enhance quality of education for the staff and students of the Department of Geology.

Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof. Benjamin Chukwuma Ozumba thanked the company for the support and congratulated Austin Avuru for being a worthy ambassador of the institution. He assured his guests that the university will justify the resources invested in the new building. He also enjoined other alumni to emulate Avuru and Platform Petroleum in helping to enhance the learning environment.

Also speaking, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, another UNN alumnus, commended Platform Petroleum Limited for investing in the future of the Country. The Honourable minister congratulated the UNN community and the Geology Department, in particular, and advised that the facility should be put to judicious use.

About Platform Petroleum: Platform Petroleum Limited is an indigenous oil and gas exploration and Production Company and operators of the Egbaoma field (Formerly Asuokpu/Umutu) located in the Northern Niger Delta of Delta State. The company is in a JV Partnership with Newcross Petroleum Limited.

For further enquiries contact: Chidinma Igwe, [email protected]