The Star Deepwater Petroleum Limited (a Chevron Company) and all the parties in the Agbami Field, Famfa Oil Limited, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Statoil Nigeria Limited and PetroleoBrasileriro Nigeria Limited, on Monday in Jos disclosed that they have so far invested over N8.4 billion in the Agbami Medical and Engineering Professional Scholarships (AMEPS) in Nigeria. The Guardian has reported.
The Director, Star Deepwater Petroleum Limited, Richard Kennedy, disclosed this during the handing over of a science laboratory to Government Secondary School, Shendam, Plateau State, worth millions of naira.
Represented by Mr. Michael Kabi, Manager, Policy, Government and Public Affairs Department, Chevron Nigeria Limited, Kennedy said that the event represented the commitment of the Agbami parties to supporting government’s efforts in improving the quality of education in Nigeria.
According to Kennedy, the science laboratory is expected to have a huge impact on the students because it will provide the teachers and the students with up-to-date science laboratory equipment for easy teaching and learning of the sciences in the school.
According to him, “The Agbami field is located approximately 70 miles (113 kilometers) offshore-Nigeria. In line with the Deep Offshore Community Affairs Group (DOCAG) Engagement Principles, we view the entire country as the Agbami community.
“Consequently, the social investment intervention by the Agbami parties in the areas of education and health is distributed throughout Nigeria and is for the benefit of all Nigerians. The parties in the Agbamifield assist the government in raising needed manpower for the development of the country.
“Agbami Medical and Engineering Professional Scholarship (AMEPS) is aimed at building the capacity of students in Medical and Engineering courses in all states of the federation as a strategic feed into the national talent pool. We have invested over N8.4billion Agbami Medical and Engineering Professional Scholarship (AMEPS).”
He asserted that, “Since inception in 2009, over 16,000 students from all states of Nigeria have benefited from the AMEPS with an impressive total of 456 who graduated with first class degrees.
He further elucidated that 57 indigenes of Plateau State have benefited from AMEPS since 2009 while 98 indigenes also benefited from the NNPC/CNL JV scholarships between 2014 and 2017.
“The Agbami parties have executed other projects across the country that are either ongoing or completed. The projects, mainly libraries, chest clinics and science laboratories constitute an aspect of the strategic intervention plan to promote a better life for Nigerians. Since the Agbami field was commissioned, we have donated 33 science laboratories, six hybrid and conventional libraries as well as 25 clinics to different states of the federation including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja,” he added.
According to him, they have also implemented awareness programmes on HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases in several communities across the geo-political zones in the country, adding that medications were also made available to the people of the affected communities.
The Managing Director, PetroleoBrasiliero, in a goodwill message read by Mrs. Meg Irozuru, said that they were happy to join other Agbami parties because the future of a nation is determined by how well educated the youth are, believing that by supporting the government to give good education to the youth, “we are not only fulfilling our corporate responsibility to the people but also helping to build leaders of tomorrow.
Chairman of, FAMAOIL LIMITED, Ms. ModupeAlakija, said the donated science laboratory was just one of the projects which the Agbami parties, working through the operator, Star Deepwater Petroleum Limited, are implementing to benefit Plateau state and by extension the entire state.
Principal of the secondary school that received equipped science laboratory, Mrs. Mary Yilzem, who was full of gratitude, pleaded that science and other related subject teachers be posted to the school particularly in Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Agricultural Science to enable them to use the facilities provided effectively.
Commissioner for Education (Primary/Secondary), Jude Dakur, congratulating Chevron and its partners on the successful completion of the edifice, said, “The commissioning and handing over of this science laboratory is a practical demonstration of your cooperate social responsibility which is worthy of emulation y all and sundry. You have really set the pace for others to follow. It is obvious that this complex will in no doubt add value to the quality of education on the Plateau, and by implication the entire Nation.
“The desire to build and present this edifice to the Ministry of Education is apt and timely, considering the fact that the world which is a global village is scientifically controlled. This will go a long way in boosting the morale of our young students in the study of science subjects.”
He said, “Similarly, science teachers in the school will have the opportunity to simplify scientific knowledge, through practical demonstration. The massive failure in science subjects is due to lack of functional science laboratories in our various schools.
“The state government and the State Ministry of Education is ever ready to partner with any relevant organization(s) toward revamping the education sector on the Plateau as you are, education is the backbone of any developing nation. This present government under the able Leadership of Rt. Honourable Simon BakoLalong cannot afford to shelve the idea of partnership, more especially as it relates to education.”
