Belemaoil Producing Nigeria Ltd has awarded scholarship to 374 students from oil producing communities in Rivers State.
The award is in compliant with its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) policy, under the NNPC/Belemaoil Joint Venture (JV).
The scholarship, given in three categories of post-primary, undergraduates and post-graduates levels, was meant to assist indigent but brilliant students.
One hundred and twenty-one of the beneficiaries are in secondary schools, 175 are undergraduates and 78 are pursuing post-graduate programmes.
Each of the categories was given financial packages ranging from N60, 000 to N200, 000 and N300, 000.
Speaking at the handing over of cheques in Port Harcourt, the Founder and President of the company, Tein Jack-Rich, said the essence of the intervention was to assist indigenes of oil-bearing communities to realise their dreams, for the development of their communities.
He said: “We are here not just to celebrate the success attained by the beneficiaries, but to also honour the privilege given to us as a company to serve.
“We recognise that if one jokes with education, one is joking with future. If you fail to grab these young ones, who have the enthusiasm and flair to pursue their academic dream, you are limiting their future opportunities.
“What we have come here to celebrate is not just a display of wealth, but also a display of interest; that believing in youths of today is unlocking the future of tomorrow and that is making the society a better place.”
Jack-Rich hailed the partners, including National Petroleum Investment Management Services (NAPIMS), Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), host communities, youths, the bank, state government and President Muhammadu Buhari for their support.
He advised the beneficiaries to see the scholarship as an opportunity to develop themselves and unlock their talents.
Jack-Rich said: “The total scholarship per annum is over a hundred million naira. What we have given today is over seventy million naira cheques and we have students in Cyprus, the UK, America, Canada, Ghana, Malaysia and Phillipines.”
He said the company is hoping to create about 12,000 jobs if its proposal with the Presidency is approved.
The chairman of the occasion, Chief Alabo Tonye Graham Douglas, praised the initiative of Jack-Rich and enjoined the beneficiaries not to misuse the opportunity.
The Executive Vice-President (Finance, Administration and Human Resources), Belemaoil, Rosemary Asiegbu, urged the beneficiaries to make good use of the opportunity and emulate the virtues of their benefactor by assisting in nation building.
The beneficiaries hailed the firm for the opportunity, saying it would ease their financial challenges.
