Master Victor Ikpolo of Green Oak International School, Port Harcourt, has won the South-South zonal finals of the 2022 ‘NNPC National Science Quiz Competition.”
Ikpolo, a 16-year old SS2 student in an interview with newsmen shortly after the competition in Port Harcourt, said he hoped to study Data Sciences in higher education.
Ikpolo from Rivers, who scored 65 points out of 75 aggregate score, was followed by his 17 years old Akwa Ibom State counterpart, Master Godwin Zaccheus of Nigerian Christian Institute, Uyo, who scored 55 points.
Similarly, Master Gideon Esien, 16, of Christian High School, Calabar, also scored 55 points and shared in the position of the first runner-up.
Earlier in his address, Mr Garba Muhammad, Group Manager, Public Affairs Division of the NNPC, expressed determination to groom a pool of highly trained youths who would be available to take up key positions in the company and in the Nigerian energy sector.
He explained that the first stage of the competetion covered the 774 Local Government Areas of the country and had 28 male and 9 female students qualifying for the South-South zonal finals.
Represented by Mr Etewewe Prince, Deputy Manager, Community Impact Investment, the General Manager said the company had accorded special attention to intervention in the education and capacity development sector over the years.
He noted that with the signing of the Petroleum Industry Act in 2021, NNPC focused on delivering educational intervention, especially in science and technology, engineering and Mathematics education (STEM), as part of its Corporate Social Responsibilities.
The competition, which featured 28 male and 9 female students across various secondary schools in the South-South Zone, ended with three states: Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Cross-River for the grand finale scheduled for Abuja.
Victor Ikpolo, Godwin Zaccheus and Gideon Esien shall be representing the South-South zone comprising Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Cross-River in the grand finale.