By Amin Kef-Ranger
NP (SL) Limited is a successful indigenous petroleum importing and marketing business entity that has stood the test of time, weathering various challenges that might have stunted its development. Being a partner in development, from time to time the company complements Government’s efforts in trying to foster socio-economic growth on various fronts.
Against such a backdrop, the company has been very instrumental in contributing positively to human capital development evidently seen in supporting projects like establishing the School for the Military in Murray Town, another for the Police in Kingtom and donating a whole Engineering Departmental block to Fourah Bay College, University of Sierra Leone besides promoting the game of squash in some Secondary Schools and Colleges out of the conviction that academic pursuit must go hand in hand with physical and mental exercises.
In line with advancing human capital development, NP (SL) Ltd, recently supported a Public Lecture on the 19th May,2023 hosted by the Faculty of Communication, Media and Information Studies at Fourah Bay College, University of Sierra Leone which was delivered by Dr. Julius Spencer, one of Sierra Leone’s finest leading performing artists and cultural experts on the topic: “Limiting Creative Intelligence and Stunting National Development through Neglect of the Arts and Culture in Sierra Leone” at the Multipurpose Hall on FBC campus.
The Public Lecture focused on how Sierra Leoneans in particular and Africans in general have neglected important aspects of our arts, culture and instead have tenaciously embraced hook, line and sinker what is considered as Western Civilization which in turn has immensely contributed in eroding our societal values, our true identity with serious negative consequences on economic and social development.
Stressing that cultural neglect somehow helped in creating divisiveness in society by giving rise to those who think they are more enlightened than others because of exposure to Western education and civilization, Dr Julius Spenser maintained that it is a factor that is responsible for stunting overall national development.
He also lamented that for far too long less attention was paid to enhancing creative intelligence and in some instances when it is discovered that a child or an individual has a sixth sense or is extremely intelligent such is attributed to witchcraft. He said such individuals are relegated to lower rungs or status in society to the extent that they are discriminated against instead of providing the leeway through which creative abilities and innovation could be nurtured to help national development.
NP (SL) Ltd strongly believes that Culture remains an underutilized channel for transmitting positive messages for development and change. Board and Management of the company are of the firm conviction that with adequate support culture can be a rallying point for national cohesion, unity and huge step towards achieving development.
As an entity that wholly adheres to the Local Content Policy, evident in offering jobs only to indigenes, directly, auxiliary or by outsourcing, it is indeed indisputable that the company believes in utilizing local resources. The company is also driving innovation and creative intelligence by using the services provided by other local service providers , instead of relying on foreign experts, which in turn helps to stimulate creativity.
For a company that has to its credit the offering of a state of the art Engineering Department to Fourah Bay College, University of Sierra Leone as way of rendering assistance to the training of petroleum engineers and for the purpose of conducting research, speaks volume of NP (SL) Ltd’s keen interest to drive innovation and technology which are driving forces of development.
Viewed from the perspective that culture embraces the way of life of individuals living within a given community, NP (SL) Ltd believes that it must infuse certain cultural attributes in its operations in line with its indigenous identity. If the company is considered as 1st for Customer Care then respectability and humility, which are core components of our culture, were properly harnessed and executed by the company.
Being an oil marketing company that transcends boundaries, tribes and regions in its marketing operations vis-à-vis opening Filling Stations in various parts across the country, the Board and Management strongly believe that respecting the cultural beliefs and practices of residents of host communities is very paramount for peaceful co-existence. It always maintains that its employees should respect and adhere to the cultural norms of the very people that they serve.
It therefore came as no surprise for the company to throw its weight behind a Public Lecture of such a nature and for now the entity is poised to continue to support ventures that are geared towards driving innovation and enhancing cultural practices that are key to promoting overall national development.
