By Godwin Chukwumaechi
Not less than 611 primary and secondary schools students Tuesday received scholarships and bursary awards from Joint Venture partners, Green Energy International Limited and Lekoil Nigeria.
This is as 1000 members of the communities also received bags of rice as livelihood packages from JV operators.
The students were drawn from the host communities of the Joint Venture of Ugama Ekede, Ayama Ekede, Asukama and Asukoyet communities in Andoni Local Government Area of Rivers State.
While the bursary/scholarships catered to students in primary, secondary, undergraduate and post-graduate levels from Ugama Ekede and Asukama communities.
A breakdown showed that 169 students from Ugama Ekede and 181 from Asukama benefited from the scholarship Programme, while the bursary awards were given to 121 students from Ugama Ekede and 140 from Asukama.
Presenting the scholarships to primary and secondary school beneficiaries representatives of the JV, Godwin E Omayi, Security & Community Relations Officer, CRO Lekoil, and Asuk Michael Edwin, CRO, Green Energy, said the initiative was aimed at enhancing educational opportunities in the host communities, while serving as part of initiatives under the Ugama Ekede, Ayama Ekede, Asukama, and Asukoyet Host Community Development Trust (HCDT)
Omayi stated; “This initiative underscores the commitment of Green Energy International Limited and Lekoil & Gas Investment Limited (GEIL/LEKOIL JV) commitment to support youths’ educational advancement in host communities and fostering sustainable development through investment in human capital.
“The scholarship and bursary scheme specifically targets sustainable human capital prosperity within the larger context of community prosperity with the following objectives to; “Enhance access to quality primary, secondary, and tertiary education for students from host communities; Improve educational standards and competitiveness by requiring beneficiaries to meet minimum qualification criteria to maintain their status; Encourage hard work and improved academic performance by using scholarships as incentives for excellence.”
In addition to the award of scholarships and bursaries, the Joint Venture also presented livelihood support packages to the host communities. This included the distribution of bags of rice to about 1,000 beneficiaries in the host communities.
The JVs stated that; “Partnership between Green Energy/Lekoil JV and its host communities reflects a broader commitment to community development as mandated by the PIA, which requires oil companies to allocate a percentage of their profits for the benefit of host communities”.
Our correspondent gathered that the presentation of bursaries and scholarships to undergraduate and postgraduate beneficiaries will continue on Thursday, December 19, 2024.
Speaking at the award ceremony Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Ugama Ekede, Ayama Ekede, Asukama, and Asukoyet Host Community Development Trust, Asuk Nathan Sampson stated; “The HCDT has a mandate to foster sustainable prosperity of the four communities that make up the body.
He said the bursaries further seek to “Address the problem of school-drop out by ensuring through effective monitoring that beneficiaries complete their applicable educational programmes”.
The BoT Chairman, urged the students to make judicious use of the bursary and scholarships given, adding that such opportunities did not exist in the past for students from the Andoni communities.
He noted that the HCDT had prioritized support to the primary level, considering the fact that it forms the foundation of education.
Sampson assured the JV partners of a secured and conducive environment for their operations, adding; “in fact, we have been praying for this company to succeed. It is our prayer that they should succeed, so that if today they give us one bag, by next year, they will bring 10 bags.”
Ekede Community member, Uwubong Ene-Owa Nicodemus, said of the bursaries, “We have not seen this before. This is the first time we are experiencing this. It’s a one in town. We are so happy. Everybody is happy. Even the students who were here since morning till now. We have not seen it like this before”
He pointed out that students from more than six schools (even from Port Harcourt), aside the public and private schools located in the community, also turned up from the awards.
