Geo Petroleum PLC Hands Over Refurbished Geological Laboratories to UNZA
Geo Petroleum PLC has officially handed over refurbished geological laboratories and state-of-the-art equipment to the University of Zambia (UNZA), marking a significant milestone in the country’s education and capacity building efforts within the extractive sector.
The handover ceremony, held at UNZA’s School of Mines, was attended by Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Mines and Minerals Development, Dr. Hapenga M. Kabeta, senior government officials, university representatives, and industry stakeholders.
The USD 100,000 project, funded by Geo Petroleum PLC under its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) program, involved the refurbishment of two geological laboratories and the procurement of essential equipment. This includes cameras, GPS units, two 6KV generators, three projectors, five microscopes (three transmitted and two reflected), and camping materials for field-based practicals.
In his keynote address, Dr. Hapenga Kabeta commended Geo Petroleum PLC for its significant investment in education and national development. He emphasized that the refurbished laboratories, equipped with cutting and polishing tools for mineral identification, are the only facilities of their kind in Zambia. The laboratories will provide a crucial resource for both academic training and the extractive industry.
“This investment will enhance the learning experience for geology students, especially those in their third and fourth years, by offering hands-on experience with practical field-based mapping programs,” said Dr. Kabeta.
He further urged the university community to safeguard the equipment and continue striving to improve and expand the facilities to benefit future generations of students and the broader mining and petroleum sectors.
Geo Petroleum PLC, a fully Zambian-owned petroleum exploration company, has been actively involved in exploration activities in Block 31 (PEL 028) in the northern regions of Northern and Luapula Provinces, including Lake Mweru and Lake Tanganyika. The company took full ownership of the block in 2020 after its joint venture with Tullow Oil PLC concluded.
