In commemoration of International Youth Day (IYD), six hundred youths drawn from across the country benefited from the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) and Belema Oil Producing Limited scholarship worth 120 million naira.
Belemaoil Manager External Affairs, Samuel Abl-Jumbo, who disclosed it at Aztect Alcrum Stadium road, Port Harcourt Friday, said the 2019 IYD theme “Transforming Education” is important, because education is fundamental to the development of youths and the nation.
He said “Belema oil is a household name in Nigeria and beyond. This scholarship is to support and say to the youth that we have confidence in our youth. We believe in them and we shall continue to support them.
” We however realized that fundamental to build the youth and a nation is education. This is why we have decided to award scholarship of 200,000 naira eash to 600 students across the country and Rivers state in particular, he added.
He also made it known that this won’t have been possible without the NYCN President who insisted that the scholarship should not be limited to Rivers state but be extended across the country.
Earlier in his mark, NYCN President, Amb. Sukubo Sara-Igbe Sukubo explained that the scholarship is to assist Nigeria youth in school to further their education, adding that education remains the best legacy.
Sukubo said, “The essence of education is the availability of quality education to all and sundry irrespective of tribe or language, we can only be talking about transforming education only if the education is available to all”.
Speaking after receiving NYCN Merit Award, founder of Niger Delta People’s Volunteer Force, Alabo Edi Abali of Kalabari Kingdom, Alhaji Dokubo Asari commended NYCN and Belema Oil for the kind gesture.
He said “We have never seen it before, I was president of Rivers state students, 1985. We use to be going for 2,000 bursary. Does Shell pay 200,000? NO, and they want to and take our oil. It will not happen.
He urged the Ijaw, Ogoni organization to continue to support Belema oil and not to fight their own. And charged the beneficiaries to use the money well.
Reacting after her cheque, Ahmed Zainab said ” this scholarship will help to finance my education and make productive to contribute to the development of Nigeria.
Another beneficiary, Evans Okodomi Osas expressed his profound gratitude to God, NYCN and Engr Jack Rich Tein the President Belemaoil and all other concern stakeholders for the unprecedented show of love to Nigeria Youth with the presentation of scholarship awards to 600 students.
