• Boost Interest in STEM
Star Deepwater Petroleum Limited, (a Chevron Company) and its parties in the Agbami field- Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Famfa Oil Limited, Statoil Nigeria Limited, and Petroleo Brasileiro Nigeria Limited – on Thursday, October 25, 2018, donated a modern science laboratory complex to Government Secondary School (GSS), Damaturu, Yobe State, to boost quality education in the school and beyond.
The science laboratory complex donated to GSS Damaturu is the 34th of such facility donated by the Agbami parties to various secondary schools across the country to stimulate students’ interest in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematica (STEM). Speaking at the handover of the complex yesterday, Richard Kennedy, the Director, Star Deepwater Petroleum Limited, said that the science laboratory reflects the determination of the Agbami parties to help improve the availability and affordability of quality education to Nigerians.
“The Science laboratory is expected to have a huge impact on the students because it will provide them up-to-date science laboratory equipment for undertaking experiments and for writing their examinations,” stated Mr. Kennedy, who was represented by Mr. Mike Kabi, Manager, Policy, Government and Public Affairs, Chevron Nigeria Limited.
Alhaji (Dr.) Ibrahim Gaidam, the Governor of Yobe State, who received key to the facility at a handover ceremony in Abuja, thanked Star Deep Water and its Agbami Parties for the science laboratory, which he said aligns with the state government’s commitment to delivering quality education to the people of the state. The governor was represented at the occasion by Alhaji Baba Mallam Wali, the secretary to the State Government. He was accompanied by Alhaji Mammam Kamin and Alhaji Lawan Shettima, the commisiners for Education and Environment respectively.
In his comment, Mr. Roland Ewubare, Group General Manager, NAPIMS, commended Agbami parties for their commitment to improving the quality of education and healthcare in our society through the provision of infrastructures.
Mr. Ewubare, who was represented at the event by Mr. Aliu Ja’afaru, Manager, Public Affairs, said NAPIMS believes that investment should not be about investment and profit but also be people driven. “The science laboratory we are handing over today is a deliberate CSR effort and we are always happy to partner and collaborate with our stakeholders, government at all levels and our partners – including Agbami to providing quality education to our children,” Mr. Ewubare added.
The 34 science laboratory complexes donated by Agbami parties were built in existing schools in close collaboration with the benefiting state governments in Nigeria. The laboratories are equipped to improve the study and learning of science education with a view to stimulating improvement in the practical study of the sciences and in students’ performances in national science examinations.
It was gathered that parties to the Agbami field have several other projects across the country either on-going or completed. The projects, mainly libraries, chest clinics science laboratories, model classroom blocks and mother and child centers, constitute an aspect of the strategic intervention plan of the Agbami Parties in promoting a better life for Nigerians. Apart from the 34 science laboratories completed handed over to schools nationwide, the group plans to complete additional two within the year.
Agbami parties also initiated the Agbami Medical Engineering and Professional Scholarships (AMEPS) which have supported thousands of Nigerian students to pursue academic programmes in sciences. Since inception in 2009, over 16,000 students from all the states of Nigeria have benefitted from the Agbami Medical and Engineering Scholarship and among these, an impressive total of 456 have graduated with first class degrees.
