*NNPC Towers, Central Business District, Garki, Abuja.
Ike Amos
15 November 2017, Sweetcrude, Abuja — Delta state, Tuesday, emerged winner of the 2017 edition of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, National Quiz Competition.
The competition which was staged across all the 774 local government areas and later moved to states and regional levels, witnessed Mr. Isioma Nelson Ifeanyichukwu of Federal Government College, Warri, Delta state, beating 17 other finalists from different states of the Federation to emerge winner.
Mr. Benjamin Chisom Chinueze of Dority International Secondary School, Aba, emerged the first runner-up; while Ondo State, represented by Mr. Akingbulugbe Oluwatobiloba of Hallmark Secondary School, Ondo, emerged the second runner-up.
Speaking at the grand finale of the competition held in Abuja, Dr. Maikanti Baru, Group Managing Director of the NNPC said the 2017 edition is the sixteenth in the competition’s history, stating that this competition had grown from featuring only Niger Delta states to cover all the local government areas of the country.
He also declared that the prizes had been reviewed upward, noting that the winner, second and first runner-ups of the competition would enjoy scholarship covering the entire duration of their university education.
He added that the 2017 edition took place in all the 774 local government areas of the country and also featured in states in the North-East, that were affected by insurgency.
He said, “Beginning from this year, the corporation will be providing a one-off educational grant of N100,000 each for all state winners of the competition. This means that everybody on this podium today, regardless of his or her final position is assured of N100,000 from the NNPC to help defray the costs of their tertiary education.
“For the overall winner of the competition, a scholarship award of N300,000 will be granted per session, while the second and third place winners will receive a scholarship award of N250,000 and N200,000 respectively per session for the duration of their tertiary education.”
He said the prizes are redeemable by the winners upon presentation of evidence of their admission into tertiary institutions whenever it may be.
Also speaking at the event, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Mr. Ibe Kachikwu, commended the NNPC for its contributions to the growth of the Nigerian educational sector, stating also that the competition is unifying and bonding, in the fact that it was conducted across all the states and local governments in the country.
Kachikwu assured the finalists that the competition presented a veritable opportunity for them to further brighten their future.
He called on the governors of the various finalists to make contact and mentor them as this would help them in their future endeavours..
Speaking in the same vein, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Yakubu Dogara, also commended the NNPC for taking educational development as a crucial part of its CSR programme and also for its sustenance of the programme for 17 years.
He stated that the NNPC’s contribution to education, especialy for STEM becomes critical going by the fact that the country still has a lot to do in deepening science and technology.
He expressed the support of the National Assembly in the progress of the contestants and students in general.
