Chairman and Managing Director of Chevron Nigeria Ltd, Mr Clay Neff, has stated that education remains a veritable tool for personal and societal growth and sustainable development in the country.
Neff, who reiterated the commitment of the NNPC/Chevron Joint Venture to improving the quality of education in Nigeria, made the statement during the award ceremony for the 2016 Awokoya Memorial Competition in Chemistry held at the Petroleum Training Institute (PTI), Effurun, Delta State.
The Chevron boss said the Joint Venture has demonstrated commitment to qualitative education through investment in education infrastructures, sponsorship of manpower development programmes and provision of scholarships.
Neff, who was represented by the Area Manager, Policy Government and Public Affairs of CNL, Mr Esimaje Brikinns, stressed that with the commitment of the Delta State Ministry for Education and the Chemical Society of Nigeria, NNPC/Chevron JV would continue to stimulate children’s interest in the study of Chemistry and other sciences and technology subjects.
He said the Awokoya Memorial Competition in Chemistry was initiated and sponsored by the NNPC/Chevron JV to promote the study of Chemistry among secondary school students of Delta State and in memory of Professor Stephen Awokoya, a great chemist, who died on 15March, 1985.
He congratulated the students from Delta State for winning the competition back to back, adding that they were happy that the goals of the competition are being realised.
He said that he was pleased that their contributions to education were helping the country to develop quality manpower in different fields including, but not limited to the Oil and Gas industry.
“I am happy, on one hand, because the robust partnership between NNPC/Chevron Joint Venture, the Chemical Society of Nigeria (SCN) and the Delta state Government on the Awokoya Memorial Competition in Chemistry has continued to grow over the years. On the other hand I am also happy because the reasons we all agreed to initiate and support the competition are being realised,” Neff said.
Meanwhile, the Delta State Commissioner for Education (Basic/Secondary) Mr Chiedu Ebie has said the Awokoya Memorial Competition for Chemistry was in line with the state government’s SMART agenda program under Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, adding that the state government has ensured the development of education especially in the area of provision of science, vocational and technology equipment in secondary schools in the state.
Highlights of the event were the award of prizes to winners of the competition to individuals, teachers and institutions.
The overall prize winner of the competition for students and institutions went to Master Immaculate Akele-Ohiorenuan and his school, Demonstration Secondary School, Asaba while Mrs Patricia Emonido won the teachers’ first prize.
Master Akele-Ohiorenuan, who emerged overall winner of the competition, thanked God, his parents and teachers as well as the organisers of the competition, adding that the experience will spur him to work harder.