ABIA COMMISSIONER FOR ENVIRONMENT EXPRESSES DETERMINATION TO SERVE THE PEOPLE OF ABIA STATE.

Hon. Philemon Asonye Ogbonna, the newly assigned Commissioner for Environment and Urban Renewal in Abia State, has taken the oath of office to serve the state. Ogbonna brings a wealth of experience to his new role, having worked with the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited (SPDC) for 23 years before retiring voluntarily.

With a strong background in accounting and finance management, Ogbonna is well-rounded in areas such as budgeting, cost control, accounts reconciliation, and treasury operations. He is also familiar with business re-engineering processes, stakeholder management, and compliance monitoring.

During his time at SPDC, Ogbonna served as the Joint Venture (JV) Audit and Stakeholder Liaison, managing critical business functions between SPDC and Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC), Agip, Chevron, and TotalfinaElf. He held various roles within SPDC, including Assets Accountant, Accounts Receivable and Indirect Tax Accountant, Business Support Accountant, and Contracts Payment Accountant.

Ogbonna has undergone extensive professional training, including courses in investigative/auditing techniques, problem-solving, budgeting, fraud risk management, and interpersonal skills. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants (ICAN) and an Associate Member of the Nigerian Institute of Management (NIM). He holds a Master's degree in Business Administration and a Bachelor's degree in Accountancy from Federal University of Technology, Owerri, and Abia State University, Uturu, respectively.

Prior to his career at SPDC, Ogbonna was a teacher at the Nigerian Navy Primary School in Borokiri, Port Harcourt. He also served as the Treasurer of Asa Development Union (ADU), the apex socio-cultural organization in his local government area, Ukwa West, Abia State.

Ogbonna, born in Owaza, Abia State, is dedicated to supporting Governor Alex Otti in realizing his vision for the development of Abia State. He is happily married with two boys and two girls.

With his extensive experience and expertise, Hon. Philemon Asonye Ogbonna is poised to make significant contributions to the environmental and urban renewal efforts in Abia State.