Addax Petroleum Cameroon Company LLC, has donated drilling laboratory equipment to the Faculty of Industrial Engineering of the University of Douala.

The equipment was handed over to the school authorities on February 6, at the varsity’s campus in Logbessou, Douala, in the presence of the Minister of Higher Education, Professor Jacques Fame Ndongo, accompanied by the Minister of Small and Medium Size Enterprises, Social Economy and Handicrafts, Laurent Serge Etoundi Ngoa.

The equipment comprised of single-phase-three-phase inductive-resistive load mod. RL-2k/EV, control panel of motors and power-consuming equipment mod. CLP-/EV including a personal computer mod. ACER X2611-G, control panel of generators for production of electricity power mod. PGP-1, including a personal computer mod. ACER X2611-V193WL and a working table mod. TOP/EV with two drawers specially manufactured by Electtronica Veneta based in Italy.

According to the officials of Addax Petroleum, the total cost of the equipment is estimated at circa 107.221 Euros, which is equivalent to FCFA 70 263 million. In his keynote address during the handing over ceremony, the Deputy General Manager of Addax Petroleum Cameroon, Oscar Matip, on behalf of the President General Manager, Roger Beaumont, said the donation was “a win-win partnership in that the oil industry is in need of quality and competent personnel.”

The Deputy General Manager urged the university personnel to make good use of the equipment for the benefit of the students and entire oil industry in the country. Matip announced that a similar donation exercise will be carried out in the University of Buea in the weeks ahead.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Higher Education, Prof Jacques Fame Ndongo, paid glowing tribute to Addax Petroleum Cameroon Company for the gesture and called on other companies to emulate their example. “I sincerely want to thank Addax Petroleum for this laudable initiative,which reinforces the public-private partnership and I would also like to seize this opportunity to call on other companies to emulate their example and do same.”

On his part, the Dean of the Faculty of Industrial Engineering, Prof Robert Nzengwa, said the donation of the equipment by Addax Petroleum Cameroon to the University of Douala was like a dream come true. According to him, the equipment would not only benefit the present and future students, but it would also enhance the quality of their training.

“The equipment is the latest in training students in drilling techonlogy and we are very grateful to Addax Petroleum Cameroon for not only thinking about us, but for offering us this priceless equipment, Nzengwa said.” The Rector of the University of Douala, Prof. Dieudonne Oyono, described the donation as a celebration of the fruitful relations between Addax Petroleum and his institution.

Apart from the material donation, the best students of the Faculty of Industrial Engineering were also provided the opportunity by Addax Petroleum Cameroon Company to carry out practical training and gain experience with the technical departments of the Company, during their training.

To further consolidate what was described as a fruitful collaboration between the two institutions, a Memorandum of Understanding, M.O.U, was signed between the University of Douala and Addax Petroleum Cameroon Company to ensure proper management of the equipment donated.