By Godwin Chukwumaechi
As part of the implementation of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), the Ugama Ekede, Ayama Ekede, Asukama, and Asukoyet Host Community Development Trust (UAAA HCDT) has presented bursaries and scholarships to 121 undergraduate and post graduate students, who are Indigenes of Asukama and Ayama Ekede communities in Andoni Local Government Area of Rivers State.
This is in continuation of the presentation of bursaries and scholarships to 611 Indigenes of the two communities, from primary, secondary, undergraduate to post-graduate level.
A breakdown of the total 611 showed that 169 students from Ugama Ekede and 181 from Asukama benefited from the scholarship program, while the bursary awards were given to 121 students from Ugama Ekede and 140 from Asukama.
The presentation of the bursary and scholarship awards to students of tertiary institutions, which held in Port Harcourt on Thursday, followed the award of contract for the rehabilitation of the UB block in Community Secondary School, Ekede.
The UAAA HCDT is made up of the foursome communities of Ugama Ekede, Ayama Ekede, Asukama and Asukoyet, which are host communities to Green Energy International Limited and Lekoil & Gas Investment Limited Joint Venture (GEIL/LEKOIL JV).
Chairman of the Board of Trustees, UAAA HCDT, Asuk Nathan Sampson, said that given the dictates of Chapter 3 of the Petroleum Industry Act, which revolves around community development, and the support of the settlor, Green Energy and Lekoil JV, “Communities were allowed to elect for themselves and identify their needs. Our communities elected, realizing that education is the foundation of every society and every development.
“They elected that at a certain point in time, as we move on, that scholarship opportunities should be provided for the indigenes of the community. To assist them, the indigent ones in particular, to acquire the level of education possible,” he said.
Asuk Nathan commended the traditional rulers of the four communities and the settlor, Green Energy and Lekoil, for meeting up with its obligation to enable the HCDT carry out its functions, adding that the UAAA HCDT remains dedicated to the well-being of every member of the community.
“Our strength is our people; our motivation is our pride in the HCDT. Integrity is our foundations; equality and fairness are our goals, commitment to excellence and community satisfaction forn the basis of our philosophy,” he said.
Projects embarked on by the UAAA HCDT, according to secretary of the Management Committee, Barr Awajigbanam Paul Alfred, include Construction of Asphalt Link Road (Phase 1); Scholarship and Bursary Administration for Primary School, Ugama Ekede; Livelihood Support Programe for the four communities; Completion of Borehole Development and Water Reticulation; Construction of Concrete Box Culvert; Completion of Town Hall; Administration for Scholarship and Bursary, Secondary School, Undergraduate and Postgraduate Students in Asukama among others.
Paul Alfred said “Education is one of the priority areas of the HCDT. Because as a trust, our focus is on sustainable prosperity of our host community. And at the heart of that sustainable prosperity is education. The easiest and the most sustainable way to empower people is to give them adequate education so that they become self-reliant.”
Representative of the JV, Minawari Diepiriye, who is Field Security & Community Relations Lead, Lekoil & Gas, said the presentation of bursaries and scholarships is one of the cardinal programs of Green Energy and Lekoil.
“Our interest is that if we give scholarship to students, both graduates and undergraduates, it’s going to be a good way of making them get committed and be interested in their academic activities. It is going to help them. So, it as a very important program and that is why we are all here giving support.”
He described the relationship between the JV and its host communities as very fantastic, adding that “We have always done things together. We know what they are doing and at every point in time, even when it is time for the projects, we go out and inspect them. These projects are not just pictorial. They are real projects on ground. And I will imploy every person (indigenes in diaspora) to take time out, go home and see these things.”
In separate speeches, Chairman of Andoni Local Government Area, Hon Lazarus Gogoteh Nteogwuile, chairman of Traditional Rulers Council of the foursome communities of UAAA HCDT, Chief Sir Gad Harry Ekprikpo, and guest lecturer, Professor Kato Gogo Kingston, of the Rivers State University, reminded the students of the opportunities for growth available to them as receipents of the bursary/scholarship awards.
The council chairman, traditional rulers and academic don urged the students from Ugama Ekede and Asukama to make judicious use of the bursaries and scholarships to improve their lives and become ambassadors of their communities and state.
