Jimitota Onoyume
08 March 2012, Sweetcrude, PORT HARCOURT— MANAGING Director of Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Ltd (SPDC), Mutiu Sunmonu, has assured that the oil company would continue to build capacity for the Niger Delta people to enable them occupy leadership positions in the oil and gas industry in the country.
Sunmonu spoke at a dinner in honour of the first batch of beneficiaries of the company’s post graduate scholarship award scheme for the region, adding that the company would continue to impact positively on the region.
He said the first batch of 10 beneficiaries of the scholarship scheme were sent to three prestigious universities in the United Kingdom to study core petroleum/engineering disciplines. The institutions include the Imperial College, London; University College, London and the University of Leeds.
He said: “Like every other Shell-sponsored scheme, we went to great lengths to ensure a level playing field for all applicants and to ensure that the selected beneficiaries were capable of the opportunity being given to them.”
Continuing, he said he was elated that all the students graduated in record time, adding that selection process for the next batch of beneficiaries would soon commence.
Sunmonu said eligible candidates should have a Bachelors Degree in the relevant field of study with a minimum of second upper level.
Some of the beneficiaries at the dinner included Ugochukwu Daniel, Efeoghene Ori Jesu, Edafe Perekowei, Eseoghene Aghogho and Oritseweyimi Ojulari, among others. They all expressed gratitude for the opportunity, promising to use the knowledge gained to develop the region.
