Susan Serekara-Nwikhana

The Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited, operator of the NNPC/Shell/Total, Agip Joint Venture, has said that in the last six years, more than 8,145 students from its host states of Abia, Bayelsa, Delta, Imo and Rivers, had benefited from its regular secondary school scholarship scheme in the Niger Delta.
The company disclosed this while presenting the 2016/2017 batch of the scholarship worth N81million to 540 beneficiaries to enable them fully undertake and complete their secondary school education.
Speaking while presenting the awards to the students during a ceremony at the Port Harcourt Library Complex, in Port Harcourt, last Thursday, Shell External Relations Social Performance and Investment Manager, Mrs Gloria Udoh, stated that the lucky students were selected based on merit.
Udoh, the general manager explained that SPDC now runs four scholarship schemes, and listed them to include the regular secondary school scholarship scheme, the cradle-to-career scholarship programme, the SPDC JV university scholarship scheme, and the Niger Delta Overseas Postgraduate Scholarship Scheme.
The social performance and investment manager, stressed that the NNPC/SPDC/Total, Agip Joint Venture was committed to upholding a legacy of sustainable relationship with host communities through its social investment portfolios, adding that its intervention programmes are not limited to scholarships, but education infrastructure development, such as classroom blocks, science equipment and laboratories, and establishment of centres for excellence in some universities, with a view to enhancing human capacity and knowledge-base needed to support the economic growth of the country.
She commended the unflinching support and collaboration of the JV partners, particularly the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and the tremendous support of the various Ministries of Education of Abia, Bayelsa, Delta, Imo and Rivers states in making the process a huge success.
On his part, the Imo State Commissioner for Education, Chief Gertrude Ego Oduka, said the investment would help wipe away illiteracy in the communities, and create a pool of human capital needed to drive the development process in the respective states, and the nation in general.
Represented by the Director, Imo State Scholarship Board, Mrs Stella Nwagwu, Oduka commended the management of SPDC for initiating and sustaining the scheme, and urged other corporate organizations to emulate the proactive policy to help governments at all levels overcome illiteracy, poverty and ignorance in the society while contributing to national development.

Also speaking, a representative of the Abia State Commissioner for Education, who is the Director, Abia State Scholarship Board, Reverend Christy I. Ibefi, said the state government was excited with the good works SPDC was doing in uplifting the quality of lives through investments in education in host states and communities, and prayed for the continued support of the company to efforts of governments to empower the people and develop the society.
In her speech, a motivational speaker, Akpesi Ogdigme, urged the beneficiaries to be studious and commit themselves towards achieving excellence in their undertakings.