When Eleme Petrochemicals was privatised a few years back, many thought it would go the way of other companies, but years back, the story is different as the company is at the forefront of government’s agricultural revolution in the area of fertiliser. GODWIN EGBA writes.
The success of every organisation is believed to be anchored on effective management, team work, harmonious working relationship between management and its entire workforce as well as the host communities where the organisation operates.
Indorama Eleme petrochemicals limited (IEPEL), a world-class corporate entity in Port – Harcourt Rivers state is believed to be one of the few companies in the Niger Delta region that stand tall in its unique management model.
The company was formally Eleme Petrochemicals Nigeria limited as a subsidiary of Nigeria National petroleum corporation (NNPC) before it became private sector- driven through the federal government’s privatisation programme.
A cross-section of industry analysts who spoke with Blueprint in Port Harcourt say the company has become a house-hold name in the local and international business circles with its products as a proof of its unique management model under the pilot, Mr Marish Mundra as managing director and its team of technocrats.
What excites industry analysts is that the company is noted to be one that enjoys the goodwill of its host communities more than other companies in the state, if not the entire Niger Delta oil rich region.
What makes it thick?
Apart from its robust contributions to the socio-economic lives of its immediate six host communities in Eleme Local Government Area of the state, Indorama’s contribution to Nigeria’s economy are unprecedented.
For instance, the Eleme host communities enjoy 7.5 percent equity shares allotted to them by the company with initial distribution of ₦457.8 million accrued from the shares. Every male and female child from legally married parents enjoy from the shares distributed to them periodically every year.
Towards the end of 2019, the company announced that its Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in Nigeria would hit $6.4 billion dollars even as it is doggedly busy to add another fertiliser plant to be launched hopefully in 2021.
Blueprint gathered that the train 1 fertiliser plant since its inception has been churning out 1.5 million metric tons per- annum and by 2021 when train 2 comes on board, urea fertiliser production would hit 3 million metric tons per annum.
Since the company became a private-sector driven by an organised Indian family, industry analysts that have followed its growth said the federal government indeed thought it wise to have privatised the company since government is said not to be a good manager of public enterprise.
However, analysts often ask to know the magic hand wand owners are using to achieve success where others are lacking. They also want to know the factors that drive the management system while the wheels of other competitors wobble.
There is this public criticism about poor quality or sub – standard made Nigeria goods but Indorama – Nigeria Group enjoys commendation for not compromising on the quality of its products to the acceptance to both the local and international markets. Again, people ask what makes it a market leader in the sub – Saharan Africa and beyond.
Highlighting its unique strength
Its chief executive, Mr Mudra said quality products and service delivery are what helps the company to pride itself among its competitors.
Apart from these, Manish said the company also deploys state-of-art technologies that can withstand the test of time, innovation and right skilled work-force and pro-activeness. He pointed out that a management equipped with all these factors would be confident to face challenges ahead of it.
Also, the head of corporate communications, Dr Jossy Nkwocha, says, “The company is a family of well-trained and motivated workforce in every production section. The world-class systems, process and procedures are all managed by professionals with cutting edge.”
Investigations by Blueprint reveal that in all facets of the company’ production lines, standard is maintained as best practices and quality services in its petrochemicals, fertiliser, PET preform, industrial sacks and all the variable are the same. Other areas they consider are engineering, operations, business models, quality control and assurance, occupational health safety and environment (HSE), management, security, finance, utilities, human resource management, (HRM), port operation, pipeline management, information technology (IT), corporate communication and community relations, among others.
The goodwill Indorama Group enjoys is also attributed to its partnership with its global technological experts such as KBR of the United States of America, Nova of Canada, IFP of France, Baskel of Italy, SK Corp of South Korea and Ingearo of India and other reputable process licensors, the company reveals.
Investigation also shows that the company does not tolerate systems break down in any production line as pro-active measures are always put in place for quick intervention on scheduled Turn Around maintenance (TAM) of its plants every two to three years in accordance with international industrial standards.
The company’s in-house publication, IMPACT reveals that the company carried out its successful 4th TAM in the 4th quarter of 2019 after the last one in 2006. The 2019 TAM was completed in record 24. 5 days which comprised of a total 4,400 numbers of equipment /activity performed. The management said with this achievement, the plant could run between four to five years without any break.
Partnership in agriculture
One of the critical sectors of the nation’s economy that the company focuses is agriculture. Apparently, this is President Muhammadu Buhari’s passion where he has allegedly made appreciable progress. For instance, the administration’s Anchor Borrowers programme (ABP) through the Central Bank Nigeria (CBN) has made available N826 billion in funding to 350,000 farmers rice, wheat, maize, cotton and cassava.
Others include poultry, soya beans and groundnut, among others. Some farmers across the country are believed to have so far cultivated over 400, 000 hectares of land to increase production in Kebbi, Niger, Kaduna, Kano, Benue, Nasarawa, Zamfara, Anambra and Kwara states, respectively.
Mr Ayo Oyoze Baye, a Nigeria food technologist, “More than seven million Nigerians are actively employed in agriculture under the Buhari Government’s diversification agenda and agriculture would offer 20million jobs in the nearest future.”
This is a huge revolution for Buhari’s government that Indorama Nigeria Group through its agric product (fertilizer) has keyed into. Apart from assuring Nigeria farmers of its fertilizer product (Urea), the company has embarked on a free agronomy services nationwide.
The services being handled directly by Indorama staff are said to be yielding great results across the states where farmers are benefiting freely. They are effective in educating illiterate farmers and getting them to adopt new farming practices that increase their crop yields and income.
Farmers are also trained on fertiliser application, field demonstration, soil sampling, testing and fertilizer recommendations and bio – efficacy -9-trials at research institutes among others.
According to the company’s, April – June 2019 edition, “The company has also trained a total of 500,000 Nigerian farmers in 2017 and 2018, and additional 400,000 farmers in 2019.
