₦airaland Forum

Nigerian oil workers have postponed their proposed strike at least until Monday next week when negotiations are opened with the federal government.

Leaders of the oil workers union say the action is being put on hold until their leadership is able to meet with the government delegation to table their grievances.

That meeting was originally scheduled for today (Thursday, July 7) but has been moved to Monday because of the three day public holiday this week to celebrate Eid El Fitri.

The Ministers of Labour and Petroleum will represent the federal government at the meeting expected to hold at the NNPC Towers in Abuja.

Uchechukwu S. Ogah (born 22 December 1969) is a Nigerian oil magnate, entrepreneur, investor and philanthropist. Ogah is the President of Master Energy Group,[1] a conglomerate with over 15 subsidiaries and interests across a variety of industries. Ogah holds the Nigerian national honour, the Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON) [2]

Early life and Education

Ogah was born to Chief Wilson and Ezinne Pauline Ogah of Onuaku Uturu,Isuikwuato Local Government Area of Abia State.

Ogah attended Ishiagu High School, after which he worked at West African Examination Council (WAEC) from 1986–89, before he proceeded to the Institute of Management and Technology (IMT), Enugu State [3] where he obtained Upper Credit at Ordinary National Diploma (OND) in 1992 and Distinction at the Higher National Diploma (HND) Level in 1995 in Accounting. He also attended University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) where he obtained a Postgraduate Diploma in 2005. He also has a Bachelor of Science degree (Banking and Finance) from Ogun State University and a Masters in Business Administration (MBA) from University of Lagos. Ogah obtained his ACA in 2007. He is a Fellow, Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN);[4] Fellow, Institute of Brand Management of Nigeria; Fellow, Nigerian Institute of Shipping; Fellow, Employment & Career and member, Chartered Institute of Bankers.

Career

Ogah began his career as a banker with a year of National Youth Service year at NAL Bank Plc. Thereafter, he took up full employment at All States Trust Bank where he worked for around two years before joining Zenith Bank in 1997. At Zenith Bank, he set a record of growing a new branch from zero balance sheets to over N9 billion and rose to the position of an Assistant General Manager (AGM) in Zenith Bank.[5] He resigned in 2007 to pursue a career in entrepreneurship.

Business Concern

As he left Zenith bank, Ogah founded Master Energy Group.[6] Ogah is currently the President of Master Energy Group – a conglomerate with workforce of about 42, 000 [7] with interests in oil & gas, banking, insurance, aviation, shipping, dredging, logistics, construction, travel services, and power.

Masters Energy Oil and Gas Limited has grown into a conglomerate with investments worth tens of billions of naira. At a time when investors were exiting the Niger Delta because its security challenges, Masters Energy City invested billions of naira in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. Ae single investment, a 158,000 tonne petroleum products storage facility provided direct employment to over 600 citizens of the Niger Delta region, and over 4,000 ancillary positions.

Masters Energy City contains a fabrication yard, established in 20. It fabricates and constructs equipment for use in the oil and gas industry and other sectors. The fabrication yard has constructed two different 1,000 MT capacity barges and is presently constructing additional three barges. Masters Energy sells petroleum products at over 60 retail outlets in Nigeria at government’s approved pump price. Its depot in Port Harcourt also sells products at government’s approved depot price.

In December 2011, the Executive Governor of Abia State, Chief Theodore A. Orji, laid the foundation stone of Masters Energy Industrial City in Isikwuato. This industrial complex is expected to grow the economy of Abia State by attracting investment from across Africa.

Philanthropy: The Uche Ogah Foundation

In December, 2001, Ogah established Uche Ogah Foundation which aims to provide empowerment, poverty alleviation, and providing education for the less privileged.


He had sponsored free medical services in different parts of Nigeria, in addition to building and equipping a number of modern hospitals in his native community, Uturu and other communities in Nigeria.[12] He also partnered with a number of medical centres, including the Hopeville Rehabilitation Centre, to fabricate artificial limbs and calipers for people with a disability.[13]

Ogah has offered scholarships to both primary and secondary students across Nigeria since 2006. He instituted a chair at the Abia State University and is building a 5,000 capacity auditorium in the same university.

Awards and Recognition

In 2014, Ogah was awarded, a national award - the Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON) by the Federal government of Nigeria

His other awards and honours include:

Honorary Doctorate degree in Business Administration by Abia State University
Ambassador, Governing Council of the Nigeria-Tur
key Chamber of Commerce and Industry
2013 Nigerian – American Chamber of Commerce Outstanding Entrepreneur by Nigerian - American Chamber of Commerce
Oke Oji Abia by Abia State Government
Pride of Abia by Hallmark Newspaper Ltd
Ambassador of Peace, UN-POLAC Effective Leadership Award by Global Youths Awareness & Development. Initiative (GYADI)
Ikenga Award for Excellence on Entrepreneurship by Ikenga
Award for Excellence Foundation Entrepreneurship Promoter of the Year by Entrepreneurship Promotions Academy Africa
Peace Award by Global Achievers Media Ltd
Anya Na Eche Ibe by Igbo Speaking Community in Lagos State
Distinguished Award for Excellence for Philanthropic and Developmental Projects by Salvage Africa
Igbo Icon Award by National Association of Igbo Students, LASU Humanitarian Service Award by Rotaract District 9130 Nigeria
Episcopal Award for Faith Motivation by Bishop Isikwuato/Umunneochi, Anglican Corporate Excellence Award for Accomplishments in Private Sector Development by Institute of Management. & Technology, Enugu, (Aba Chapter)
An Icon of Empowerment by National Association of Southern Nigeria Students
Diamond Father of the Year, 2012 by Catholic Men’s Organisation, Masters Dei Cathedral Parish, Umuahia