Falcon Corporation holds forum on Underground Infrastructure Safety
Falcon Corporation Limited, a privately held, wholly indigenous midstream oil and gas company, and operator of the Ikorodu Natural Gas distribution franchise recently organised a stakeholders’ forum themed ‘Gas Pipeline & Underground Infrastructure Safety: The Community Advantage’. The forum served as a platform to engage stakeholders within the gas franchise zone on the importance of managing underground infrastructure in a collaborative, concerted and cohesive manner so as to ensure safety of lives, properties and investments.
Chidinma Maduka, Manager, HR and Shared Services of Falcon Corporation, stated, “we created this forum to engage private and government entities whose operations within the zone involve deployment of underground infrastructure, as well as, the host communities, in order to educate them on the need to preserve the assets in the local environment and take the infrastructure on ground as their own”.
Falcon Corporation has several kilometers of gas pipeline traversing Ikorodu, supplying Natural Gas to Nichemtex Limited, Sunflag Limited, Dangote Pasta Limited, Africa Steel Mills Limited, MBH Power Limited, Ikorodu Steel Mills Limited and Industrial Energy Ikorodu Gas Limited amongst several others
Chichi Emenike, Head, Business Development and Commercial department of Falcon Corporation further explained, “What has brought us to the room is the rising level of infringement we have observed on our gas pipeline network and the potential dangers of encroaching on our Right-of-Way.
Infringement on a gas pipeline either unintentionally or through direct acts of vandalism, not only causes losses to our organization, the companies which are dependent on our gas as fuel for their operations, but can also cause extensive damage to both lives and properties within the host communities. The goal of this forum is to engage all of us as stakeholders with various investments in the region, and to sustain a tempo for continuous dialogue as we continue to run our businesses in Ikorodu profitably and sustainably”.
Emenike further stated that the challenge of gas pipeline infringement is enabled largely by two factors: the existing multiplicity of government agencies (State and Federal) which means that in many cases, permits are given for such works to be done without companies being informed of our existing gas infrastructure within the area; and secondly, the lack of composite data and mapping of the existing underground infrastructure within the area.
In his keynote address, Joseph Ezigbo, Managing Director, Falcon Corporation, represented by Emeka Arizor, Technical Services Manager, echoed the need for individuals, corporate organisations operating in Ikorodu, and relevant government agencies and parastatals with oversight for Ikorodu to fully apprehend the existence and significance of the underground Natural Gas pipelines and associated infrastructure.
“The continuous growth in the nation’s production, processing and commercialization of Natural Gas to feed projects of strategic national importance is placing increasing pressure on the already inadequate national gas pipeline grid. Indeed, gas network infrastructure is one of the highest investment requirements for use as a nation now if we are to attain some of our stated industrialization objectives. Therefore, there is a heightened imperative to maintain and preserve the existing pipeline infrastructure while attention is paid to other areas required for growth. Lagos State, in its development into a megacity plays a prominent role in this national industrialization; of which the Ikorodu area is of critical significance.”
David Musa, HSE and Quality Manager of Falcon Corporation, gave an in-depth expository depicting examples of vandalism cases Falcon had experienced, as well as, information on how to engage the company should there be attempts to infringe upon the gas pipelines.
Alao Lateef, Head, Enforcement Unit, LASIMRA explicitly stated that they are the one-stop governmental agency specifically in charge of all R-o-W permits to all organisations involved in the Ikorodu area and are liable for all documentation with regards to permits and authorised permission provided to install infrastructure.
The Department of Petroleum Resources’ (DPR) representative, Obiora Emenike, commended the work of Falcon Corporation with regards to the engagement with the community and advised that continuous engagement will certainly garner the support of Ikorodu residents as they are to be involved in ensuring the security of the infrastructure.
Tari Olali representing, the Nigerian Gas Marketing Company (NGMC) affirmed Falcon Corporation as a company that operates strictly on global best practises. Falcon Corporation, is an ISO 9001:2008 and OHSAS 18001:2007 certified company. He explained that Falcon infrastructure is operated on behalf of NGMC (a subsidiary of the NNPC), therefore, as it is a national asset, every stakeholder must have a personal interest in safeguarding.
The event recorded an impressive attendance from federal, state and local government agencies, privately owned organisations and community leaders in Ikorodu. The stakeholders gave feedback and suggestions to avoid further infringement on the gas infrastructure.
Representatives of telecommunications providers, Globacom and Airtel expressed consonance with Falcon’s position, confirming they have also experienced similar issues on their infrastructure with regards to excavation and infringement of their transmission lines because of multiple R-o-W permits issued. They therefore requested that government put in a greater effort in safeguarding infrastructure investments by private companies that have authentic permits.
FRANK UZUEGBUNAM