4,510 Akwa Ibom students get scholarships, bursaries

Stakeholders during the Trust's AGM in Uyo

The Incorporated Trustees of NNPC/MPN JV EMOIMEE Host Community Development Trust (HCDT) have awarded scholarships and bursaries to 4,510 students in secondary and tertiary institutions across its seven constituent local government areas.

The beneficiaries, drawn from Eastern Obolo, Mkpat Enin, Onna, Ikot Abasi, Mbo, Eket and Esit Eket Local Government Areas of Akwa Ibom State, received financial support ranging from N150,000 to N400,000 each.

The Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Hon. Justus Ntuk, disclosed this in his address at the Annual General Meeting on Thursday in Uyo, describing the intervention as timely, particularly amid the rising cost of education.

He said the scholarship programme was part of the Trust’s broader interventions, stressing that the education support was aimed at easing the financial burden on students and parents, promoting access to quality education and developing human capital in line with the objectives of the Petroleum Industry Act 2021.

He said, “4,510 Students in Secondary and Tertiary Institution are benefitting from Scholarship and Bursary, ranging from 150,000 to 400,000 Naira. This is one of the Trust’s footprints across the host communities.”

Ntuk noted that the Trust’s interventions cut across health, education, community infrastructure, human capital development, digital and vocational skills, and livelihood support.

Beyond education, he added that about 415 youths had been trained in specialised skills, while 3,454 start-ups and small and medium-sized enterprises had received cash grants ranging from N150,000 to N1m.

“172 individuals empowered with motorcycles, fishing boats, outboard engines and pre-paid meters, Medical equipment and consumables supplied to hospitals and health centers across the seven communities and over 28 communities benefited from reactivated boreholes with solar-powered pumps and water reticulation,” he stated.

The BOT chairman said its development model was built on teamwork, inclusiveness and stakeholder collaboration, noting that its approach had transformed a once-distrustful relationship between host communities and oil companies into one of partnership and confidence-building.

In her remarks, a former Deputy Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Noble-Lady Valerie Ebe, also expressed satisfaction with the development interventions she had observed, conveying optimism about the Trust’s prospects if the current efforts were sustained.

The Manager of Public Relations at Seplat Energy Production Nigeria Unlimited (SEPNU), Effiong Esewu, said the purpose of the Trust was to bring development closer to the people and expressed satisfaction with the progress made.

He disclosed that SEPNU remained committed to supporting EMOIMEE and working towards a sustainability plan that would help preserve and extend the benefits of its interventions.

“We at Seplat are determined to add value to the development of the community. We will continue to support the Trust to ensure its success,” he said.

The Deputy Director of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, Dr Olaide Sholowu, reaffirmed the commission’s commitment to ensuring that the Trust fulfilled its statutory mandate.

“Our role is to ensure that the Trust lives up to its essence. We continue to monitor compliance. On behalf of the Commission, I commend the management of EMOIMEE on the progress recorded thus far,” she stated.

The leader of civil society in Akwa Ibom State, Franklyn Isong, acknowledged the performance and achievements of EMOIMEE, describing it as the fourth tier of government on which host communities could consistently rely.

He emphasised that while appreciation was necessary to encourage the management, constructive criticism was also expected to help redirect the activities of the board.