Opeans Safety Training Centre Dismisses EFCC’s Sealing Report

Posted by African Examiner Latest Headlines, News Across Nigeria, News From The State Friday, December 6th, 2019

From Ignatius Okpara

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – Contrary to recent reports in some section of the media that Opeans Safety Training Centre at Opete near Warri, Delta state, has been sealed up by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC, management of the company yesterday debunked the reports, saying it was the handiwork of a fellow competitor who is in the habit of tarnishing the reputation and image of the establishment.

It said though, some operatives of the anti-graft agency from its Benin city, the Edo state capital, South- South Nigeria zonal office, had recently invaded the offshore Safety training Centre and arrested some of the her staff, over a frivolous petition written against it by the said competitor, one Mr. Lary Otu.

Addressing a press conference at the company’s premises, Executive Director of the establishment, Dr. Ben Nwoye, said the petitioner, who is the Managing Director of Lym Consults Nigeria Limited, Warri, which is also a training centre, had in his petition alleged that Opeans was issuing international Association of Drilling Contractors IADC certificates without approval from appropriate authorities.

The Opeans boss, who debunked the allegation stated that it was not the first time the petitioner was raising such a frivolous petition against the company which began operation in 1988, and was duly accredited by the Department for petroleum Resources DPR, which is the regulatory body for the sector.

Dr. Nwoye, accused Mr. Otu, of always trying to blackmail and tarnish image of his Opeans with the intent to monopolise safety training in Warri, adding that the petitioner had in the past on several occasions threaten to unleash mayhem on him, including kidnapping his elder brother, who is a traditional ruler in Enugu state, should he continue to operate the Centre in Warri.

According to him, Lary Otu, had severally insisted that I must leave Warri for him and go back to Port Harcourt where we have our other Centre describing the allegation against the company as frivolous and lacks any iota of truth

Nwoye, who is also the Enugu state chapter of All progress congress APC, further explained that the company’s staff arrested by the EFCC operatives have since been released.

He noted that the company was fully authorised and certified for operations by DPR and other safety regulating agencies in Nigeria, stressing that the Opeans had never been involved in any form of fraudulent practices since it came into existence in 1988.

The Opeans Executive Director, hinted that DPR, has increased the courses the company is offering from 4 to 12, “so, what Larry Otu has in mind is to develop his business through monopoly, which will not work, because, I’m a Nigerian and has the right to do business in any part of the country I so wish” Nwoye stated.

He however, urged members of the public to disregard the EFCC sealing report, as the company is still functioning in full capacity.