TheCable

BY MICHAEL BUNUJU

I reminisced for several days on how best to celebrate Engr. Chris Osa Ogiemwonyi on the occasion of his 70th birthday. I thought of so many things because he is a man of many parts, whose impact remains legendary in my life as well as others whose path has crossed his beautiful sojourn on earth.

Attaining the prime age of 70 is no mean feat especially for a man with such a heart of gold makes it more interesting hence why the drums must be rolled out. His is a life of selfless service to the country where he served meritoriously in several capacities until he ventured into private business and service to his community where he has also devoted substantial time and resources in ensuring life makes meaning to all regardless.

As a mentee, I am eternally grateful for his mentorship and guidance that cannot be quantified in monetary, emotional, physical, or psychological terms. It is indeed a life of selflessness, a life of letting the world be a better place for all, and a world where our relationship with people should not be defined by our ethnic or religious affiliations. This much he preaches and this much he represents even as he clocks 70 in good health and of sound mind.

Engr. Chris Osa Ogiemwonyi is not just a father figure to all, he is the definition of pure heart and with a passion for developing young minds and giving back to society through philanthropic gestures. He is an embodiment of intellectualism whose impact on the petroleum and gas sector in Nigeria remains outstanding.

He started his career as a petroleum engineer II in 1975 with the conservation department in the ministry of petroleum resources. In February 1977 was seconded to SPDC (Shell Petroleum Development Company) Warri. Between 1978 through 1982, he worked in various departments of the petroleum resources ministry including the then newly created gas department.

Between 1982 and 1988, he worked in the exploration and exploitation (E&E) division of NNPC and in 1985 was transferred to the National Reserves Evaluation Project as project leader, where he coordinated all efforts in Dallas, the USA, in establishing a stronger database for the oil & gas industry in Nigeria.

In 1999, he was promoted to general manager, operations, and moved to National Petroleum Investment Management Services (NAPIMS) to oversee the operations division. While there, he midwifed various projects and concepts especially the local content initiative of the federal government. And by dint of hard work, he was appointed the group general manager, NAPIMS in 2001. As GGM NAPIMS, he oversaw the whole industry including the joint ventures (JV) and the production sharing companies (PSCs).

While in NAPIMS, he served as chairman, Nigeria OTC Committee for 2002 and 2003. Between 1999-2003, he midwifed key projects including the EA field, Erha field, Bonga field, Agbami field amongst others. Also, NAPIMS achieved zero cash call arrears by October 2003.

As GGM, NAPIMS, the oil industry was encouraged on joint utilisation of assets such as offshore rigs. And Engr Ogiemwonyi was noted for his achievements while in NAPIMS where he was given the sobriquet Mr. Local Content.

And the local content man didn’t stop there. In 2003, he was reassigned to NPDC as managing director and his efforts showed quickly in increasing NPDC Production from 20,000bopd to 70,000bopd. He also served as chairman, project monitoring committee (PMC) of Okono/Okpho Development Project, a strategic alliance between NPDC and Agip Energy Nigeria Limited (AENR), as well as chairman, project management committee of OMLs 64 and 66 project, another strategic alliance between NPDC and SINOPEC of China.

In March 2005, he was reassigned to Nigerian Gas Company Limited as managing director. His focus was to increase gas supply to major customers like PHCN, SNG, GASLINK, WAPCO SHAGAMU, and EWEKORO, NOTORE Fertilizer PH, OBAJANA CEMENT COMPANY, etc. NGC coordinated the 130mmscf/d gas supply (WAGP- West African Gas Supply Project) to Benin, Togo, Ghana, and Ivory Coast.

From 2007 to 2009, he was the group executive director (GED), exploration and production of the NNPC, and was in charge of seven NNPC companies and subsidiaries which included National Petroleum Investment Management Services (NAPIMS), Nigerian Gas Company (NGC), LNG &Power Division, Integrated Data Services Limited (IDSL), Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC), Crude Oil Marketing Division and Local Content Division.

In 2010, he was appointed as honorable minister of state for works, where amongst other notable achievements he encouraged private sector participation through public-private partnership (PPP) as well as re-introduction of tolling policy in 2010. The highway design department was also strengthened to eliminate sectional failures of the road network in the country.

He also served on the board of PHCN, former council member of Petroleum Training Institute Warri, and chairman N-gas. Also a former Director NETCODIETSMANN, and one time board member of Nigermed. He also served as a member presidential committee on integrated power project development, as well as a member of the NNPC corporate board and chairman of Hyson/Calson JV. He was also a member of the presidential committee on accelerated expansion of electricity infrastructure.

Chris Ogiemwonyi belongs to many professional bodies including the Society of Petroleum Engineers, a fellow of the Nigerian Society of Engineers, and former president of the Nigerian Gas Association. He is a recipient of the Justice of Peace (JP) by Edo state government and Kwame Nkurumah Leadership Award, patron to several bodies both at the international and national levels to mention but a few.

You would agree with me that he is befitting of the 70 mark. I celebrate him now and always and I say a word of prayer to God to continue to shower his blessings on him and his wonderful family. Indeed Mr. Local Content is 70 and let there be a standing ovation.