AMID a seeming dearth of instructional facilities dotting most secondary schools in Delta State, a well-equipped state-of-the-art science laboratory has been built and handed over to Alaka Grammar School, Ozoro, Isoko North Local Government Area.
The facility was donated by Star Deepwater Petroleum Ltd (a Chevron Company) and its Co-venturers in the Agbami field: Famfa Oil Ltd, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Statoil Nigeria Ltd, and Petroleo Brasileiro Nigeria Ltd.
The state-of-the-art edifice, executed by Mac-Forms Group headed by Mike Asiafa, under the consultation of Descintext Nigeria Ltd, harbours offices, toilets and laboratory halls for practicals in Biology, Chemistry and Physics, with each having the capacity to accommodate 100 students.
Tribune Online pieced from some jubilant senior students of the school during the handing over ceremony that no laboratory or practical existed in the school before the intervention of the oil coys.
The laboratories are, therefore, expected to have a huge impact on the students as it will provide them with up-to-date science laboratory equipment for undertaking experiments and writing examinations.
Director, Star Deepwater Petroleum Ltd, Mr Richard Kennedy, represented by Mr Dan Akpofure, at the handing over ceremony of the facility sunk in the expansive premises of the school, said the gesture was ‘to help improve the availability and affordability of quality education to Nigerians.”
According to him, the laboratory “is expected to have a huge impact on the students because it will provide them up-to-date science laboratory equipment for undertaking experiments and for writing their examinations.”
He added that the Agbami Co-venturers had also implemented other projects including the building and equipping of Science Laboratories to Ziks Senior Secondary School Sapele, and Unity School Agbarho as well as the equipping of a Chest Clinic for the Tuberculosis and Leprosy Referral Centre Eku and the Mother and Childcare Centre at Sapele Central Hospital.
Group General Manager of National Petroleum Investment Management Services (NAPIMS), Mr Dafe Sejebor, in his remarks, described the project as “a fruit of partnership and a very desirable way of working because government cannot solve all the nation’s problems alone.”
Sejebor, who was represented by Mena Ogor, applauded the achievements of the Agbami partners and other stakeholders for delivering the project in line with the mandate to ensure that the daily standard of living and the quality of life of Nigerians are improved within available resources.
In her address, Chairman of FAMFA Oil Ltd, Chief (Mrs) Modupe Alakija, who was represented by Mr Adetokunbo Ayodele, disclosed that in collaboration with the Agbami Co-Venturers, over 33 science laboratories had been donated to various institutions to help stimulate interest in Sciences, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) nationwide.
She described the gesture as part of the fulfilment of the company’s Corporate Responsibility role to Nigeria through Social Investments in various parts of the country.
It will, however, be recalled that 2, 692 Delta State indigenes have benefited from Agbami Medical and Engineering Professional Scholarships (AMEPS), while six hybrid and conventional libraries, as well as 25 chest clinics had been donated to different states of the federation including the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
Meanwhile, Delta State government, Ozoro community leaders, staff and students of Alaka Grammar School, recipient of the project, expressed appreciation for the gesture.
Commissioner of Education (Basic & Secondary), Mr Chiedu Ebie, who represented the governor of Delta State, expressed gratitude to Agbami Co-venturers, saying it was obvious government could not provide all social amenities to all its citizen and therefore welcomed partnership with the private sector.
He urged the Ozoro community to take ownership of the facility in order to secure and maintain it.
President General of Ozoro Development Union (ODU), Mr Nicholas Are, expressed appreciation, charging the co-venturers to extend the same gesture to other secondary schools in the area.
Two elated science senior students of the school, Isaac Henry and Princess Adakpoyeri, who disclosed they had never been taught practical before in the school because of lack of laboratory and equipment, said the provision would avail them a “picture of what we do.”
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