Posted by Segun James Yenagoa for THISDAY on
Shell Petroleum Develop-ment Company (SPDC), has flagged-off construction of the $32 million.....
Shell Petroleum Develop-ment Company (SPDC), has flagged-off construction of the $32 million (N4.48 billion) Niger Delta Centre for Life project in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.
The Centre for Life is a project conceived by Shell, to serve as hub of activities in the Niger Delta in the fight against HIV/AIDS.
According to the Managing Director, Shell Nigeria, Mr Basil Omiyi, evidence has shown that since the first HIV/AIDS case was reported in Nigeria in 1986, incidents of the epidemic have continued to multiply by "significant proportions."
He lamented the enormity of the problem, which he said has continued to grow, most especially in the Niger Delta.
Omiyi said "the adult HIV prevalence has for instance increased from 1.8 per cent in 1991 to 4..5 per cent in 1996, 5.8 per cent in 2001 and 5.0 per cent in 2005, with latest estimates put at 4.5 per cent.
Estimates from the 2003 sentinel survey using the HIV/Syphilis zero-prevalence among women attending antenatal clinic suggests that over 3.5 million Nigerians may be infected with the virus."
He said it was in the light of this statistics that Shell conceived the idea of building the Centre for Life, to serve as a research, treatment and support care centre for HIV/AIDS, not only in the Niger Delta but in the entire nation.
"Over the next five years, some N4.48 billion would be spent on construction and operating the centre, of which the SPDC Joint-Venture would contribute 30 per cent, while other partners and donors would provide the balance," Omiyi said, adding that Bayelsa government has provided land for the project while sand filling activities has already begun.