ABUJA – The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has expressed its commitment to the development of science and technology to make the nation relevant in the global economy.
The Group Managing Director of the corporation, Mr Andrew Yakubu, stated this at the grand finale of the 2014 NNPC Annual Quiz Competition on Tuesday in Abuja.
Yakubu noted that science and technology offer limitless opportunity for bringing development to the country and its people and making the nation relevant in global economy.
He said the national quiz competition had helped in developing the interest of younger Nigerians in studying science and technology courses in tertiary institutions in the country and abroad.
“Our sound scholarship has not only helped towards the development of science and technology in the country, but has also gone a long way in assisting the nation’s future leaders,’ he said.
He said that the NNPC would not relent in supporting the competition and other community- based efforts aimed at building the country’s human capacities and capabilities. [eap_ad_2] Yakubu said the corporation would commit itself to executing more strategic community development projects, and place emphasis on “those we reckon … would rapidly improve the lives of young Nigerians.”
The NNPC boss said successful youths who distinguish themselves in the competition would be offered automatic undergraduate scholarship and consolation prizes.
Announcing the result of the competition, Yakubu said Imo State, represented by Adolalum Obinna, Okezie Emmanuel and Aputazie Ijeoma emerged overall winner with 155 points.
According to him, Ogun, represented by Bassey Gabriel, Folrunso Temitope and Akintokun Adegboye came second with 150 points.
He said Akwa Ibom, represented by Arob Emmanuel-Bankon, Effion Etim, and Dickson Iberedem clinched the third position with 145 points.
He explained that the NNPC Annual National Quiz Competition was an off-shoot of an NNPC-sponsored Niger Delta Science Quiz Competition held in 2000.
“Following its resounding success that year, the NNPC moved a notch higher to sponsor and stage the competition at a national level and ever since, the Corporation has never looked back.
“Every year, the competition starts from the grass-roots level where students of various secondary schools within a state slug it out in core science subjects of English, Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry and Physics,” he said. (NAN)[eap_ad_3]