N’Delta Youths Get Shell’s Overseas Post-Graduate Scholarships

Ten undergraduate students from three states in the Niger Delta have been awarded post-graduate scholarships to study in various critical science courses at three of the United Kingdom’s most prestigious universities.

The students are two from Warri North, one each from Ethiope West, Ndokwa East, Aniocha South, and  Oshimili North in Delta State, one each from Bonny, Ogu/Bolo and Oyigbo in Rivers State, while the other is from  Nembe in Bayelsa State.

Whereas three of the scholars would study Mechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering and chemical process Engineering at University College, London, two would undertake Petroleum Geosciences while another two would take Petroleum Geophysics at Imperial College, London, just as University of Leeds takes in two who will study Oilfield Corrosion Engineering and one on Exploration Geophysics.

All beneficiaries had graduated with, at least, second class honours upper in Geology, Structural engineering, industrial Mathematics and Mechanical engineering from University of Benin; Geology from University of Nigeria; Mechanical Engineering from Obafemi Awolowo University; and Physics from Delta State University; while three had graduated from Rivers State University of Science and Technology, majoring in Physics (Electronics), Applied Geophysics, and Chemical/Petrochemical Engineering, respectively.

Presenting the awards to the 10 recipients at a colourful ceremony in Port Harcourt last Friday, the Managing Director, Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria, Mutiu Sunmonu, said the overseas post-graduate scholarship scheme was an additional window to improve the human capital index of the region through training in critical fields that would enable the bridging of the yawning gap in the oil and gas sector.

Sunmonu, who was represented at the event by the company’s General Manager, Human Resources, Charles Gbandi, noted that the scheme, which began last year with 10 students in the three prestigious universities in the UK, was aimed at further educating talented youth from Rivers, Delta and Bayelsa states as a means of boosting the pipeline of Niger Delta talent and developing indigenous manpower for the oil and gas industry, adding that on completion of the programme, the students were expected to return and contribute to the development of the oil and gas industry and their communities.

He thanked the Rivers, Delta and Bayelsa governments for partnering with SPDC to sustain the excellence which the scheme was designed to achieve, and charged the beneficiaries to exemplify their worth as good ambassadors of the scheme and the company.

Also speaking, Rivers State Commissioner for Education, Dame Alice Lawrence-Nemi lauded Shell for being socially responsible to its host communities, and helping the government to enhance the human capacity profile of the region.

Represented by Mrs May Solomon, the Education Commissioner said the students would help fill the manpower gap in the oil and gas sector and fulfil the purpose of the Nigerian Content Development Law, and pledged the readiness of the government to continue to collaborate with the multinational concerns to boost the human capital base of the state, while tasking SPDC to increase the number of beneficiaries to accommodate more Rivers youth.

Responding on behalf of the beneficiaries, Miss Tonye Sokari, expressed the determination of the 10 recipients of the scholarship to excel in all their chosen fields of study, and promised that their various families, communities and states governments would never be disappointed by their performances.

Nelson Chukwudi