By Enahoro Iyemefokhai
No fewer than 337 tertiary institutions students are jostling for the 2020/2021 annual scholarship scheme of the Nigeria Petroleum Development Company Limited (NPDC).
The annual scholarship scheme was for tertiary institutions students of the oil company’s host communities.
Mr Dahiru Abubakar, Manager, Community Relations Department of the company made the disclosure at the weekend during the conduct of the year 2020/2021 scholarship examination organised by NPDC in Warri, Delta.
Abubakar, represented by Mr Noble Imabibo, Team Lead of the Warri Examination Centre said the scholarship was part of the company’s corporate social responsibility to its host communities.
The Manager, Community Relations Department, who said the examination was conducted simultaneously at three centres in Warri, Delta State, Egbema in Imo State and Port Harcourt, Rivers State added that out of the 337 candidates successful ones would be awarded the scholarships.
According to him, the Warri centre has about 170 candidates selected from 60 communities across Edo and Delta, 22 in Egbema and 145 in Port Harcourt centres.
“In total, we have 337 candidates from the different host communities sitting for the examination out of which successful candidates would be awarded the scholarships”, he said.
While noting that the Scholarship scheme has helped to reduce youth restiveness in the communities and boost human capital development in the communities hosting its operations, he added that over 10,000 students have so far benefited from the scheme since it started in 2000.
He also disclosed that host communities nominate and send a list of candidates to NPDC for the scholarship examinations.
The Manager, however, disclosed that plans were underway to create an online platform for the students to take the exams particularly now that the COVID-19 pandemic had made it almost impossible for people to interact physically.
He explained that as part of policies to ensure a transparent, free and fair exercise, the management of NPDC engaged the services of the authorities of the Federal University of Petroleum Resources (FUPRE) as consultants to conduct the examination.
In his remarks, Professor Prekeyi Tawari-Fufeyin, Coordinator of the NPDC scholarship examination, (FUPRE) commended NPDC for the privilege given to the students.
”A lot of the students are from the rural areas where they do not have enough resources to go to school.
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“With this scholarship scheme, a lot of them do well and remain in school. Last year, we advised that NPDC increased the number and this year we have very many of them coming from different communities”, he added.
Speaking shortly after the exercise, Daniel Momotimi, a student of Delta State University, Abraka from Apuama community in Warri North local government area thanked NPDC for the gesture.
Momotimi urged NPDC to increase the number of candidates to accommodate less privileged youths.
On her part, Miss Favour Atiewoh who hails from the Emadadja community in the Udu Local Government Area of Delta, also commended the organisers of the examination adding that, the students were treated with respect in a conducive environment during the exercise.
