Mkpoikana Udoma
20 October 2017, Sweetcrude, Port Harcourt – The Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria, SPDC, has awarded scholarships to eight secondary school students who emerged winners in the 2017 Environmental Awareness Secondary Schools Quiz Competition for Land East Hub communities.
The questions for the quiz competition were from English Language, Chemistry, Mathematics, Biology, Environment and Sustainable Development.
The eight students who came tops from over 90 schools which participated in this year’s secondary schools quiz competition are Master Noble Uchechukwu and Master Chikere Nnamdi from Community Secondary School, Owaza, Abia State, grabbing the grand prize with their first position.
Miss Divine-Favour Henry and Miss Favour Lekia of Model Girls Secondary School, Rumueme, Port Harcourt; Master Bright Nwala and Master David Nwala of County Grammar School, Ikwerre/Etche; Miss Gift Eunice KaBari and Miss Favour Nkajima of Community Secondary School, Aleto, all in Rivers state clinched the second, third and fourth positions, respectively.
Miss Glory Ifeoma Okpara of Priscilla Memorial Secondary School, Oguta, Imo State, was rated the best student in Essay Writing Competition.
Speaking while presenting the scholarships and prizes to the students in Port Harcourt, Shell External Manager, Mr. Igo Weli, expressed delight that the event has offered many participants an avenue to learn from the younger generation, adding that the power in team work was cardinal in the success of the students.
SPDC Asset Manager, Land East Hub, Chibogwu Samson, said the company decided to award scholarship to the best finalists as a way of encouraging more students to participate in schools’ academic competitions and programmes.
Samson urged the students to realise that excellence does not end in quiz completions, and advised them to ensure that they internalise what they were taught and work hard to protect and preserve the environment for the benefit of all.
“If you don’t protect the environment, there would be no future for us to live. We must protect and preserve our environment to enable us have a future that we all deserve,” he said.
In his remarks, Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Education, Mr Dagogo Hart, who commended SPDC for sustaining the environmental awareness programme amongst students despite dwindling revenues, appealed for not only sustainability but expansion of the programme to all in schools in SPDC catchment states while urging the students on the need to live environmentally-friendly and healthy lifestyle.
For her part, Representative of Abia State Ministry of Environment, Mrs Comfort Kalu, commended SPDC for organising the competition, and cautioned against indiscriminate abuse of the environment and the ecosystem, as well as encouraged all stakeholders to commit to activities that will help protect the environment.
Also speaking, a representative of the permanent secretary, Imo State Ministry of Education, Rev. Christy Ibeji, appealed for the assistance of Shell in creating environmental awareness in the communities through the media, and pledged the support of the state government in ensuring the protection and preservation of the environment.
Speaking on behalf of the awardees, the winner of the first prize, Master Chikere Nnamdi, of Community Secondary School, Owaza, Abia State, expressed gratitude to the management of SPDC for organizing the competition as well as for the scholarship.
