By Kasim Sumaina
Green Energy International Limited (GEIL), the operator of the Otakikpo marginal Field in OML 11 with operational base at Ikuru town in Rivers State, has awarded N50 million scholarship to not less than 340 students from Andoni Local Government of Rivers State.
The scholarship, GEIL said would enable the beneficiaries pursue their education for the 2019/2010 session and covers secondary, undergraduate and post graduate education.
Spokesman, GEIL, Olusegun Ilori, in a statement, disclosed that the students were selected based on rigorous qualifying examination from among over 7000 applicants for the scholarship under the, “Green Energy leaders of Tomorrow scholars,” instituted in 2018 to enhance the education standards of the host community youths of the company.
Presenting the scholarship awards at the yearly community stakeholders’ luncheon in Port Harcourt, the Chairman of the company Prof. Anthony Adegbulugbe, said the company apart from infrastructural improvements of the communities in its area of operation, considered provision of scholarship as critical to the human capacity development of the communities in Andoni and Rivers state at large.
He said his company’s believe that crude oil production is not an end in itself, but a means to achieve economic development and other development goals prompted the move towards supporting education as one of the critical pillars of social change in the country.
Adegbulugbe recalled that during the celebration of its five years of operation and engagement with the communities, the company had contributed significantly towards achieving some United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), through consistent health interventions programs, the revamping of health facilities through the Johns Hopkins University partnerships, the conservation of animals’ species program and infrastructure development through the Community Trusts fund, among others.
He said the thrust of its CSR and sustainability initiatives remains capacity building, socio economic growth, environmental protection, promotion of green and energy efficient technologies and the upliftment of the marginalised and underprivileged segments of the society.
Also, the Rivers State Commissioner for Energy & Natural Resources, Dr. Peter Medee, commended the Board and management of Green Energy for investing in the education of the youth in the host communities.
He was also commended GEIL for its tremendous investment in the development of the communities and promised to partner with the company in the proposed power generation and LPG production projects being planned for the Andoni area.
The chairman of Andoni Local Government, Paul Lawrence, said the gesture was unprecedented in the area.
