By Prince Okafor

Nigeria’s indigenous oil and gas company, Oriental Energy Resources Limited, has commissioned a school project, completed with necessary facilities at Saint Monica Primary School, Ibuot Utan, Effiat, in the Mbo local government area of Akwa Ibom.

The project according to the company was a demonstration of its commitment to education and human capital development in the Effiat community in particular and the state in general.

While commenting on the project, the company’s Managing Director, Mustafa Indimi, who was represented by the General Manager, Operations, Augustine Ekeigwe, stated that, “We embarked on the project in this community for two reasons. Firstly, we fully recognise that education is a human right. As such, we passionately believe that every child has a right to education from the primary level to higher levels of education.

“This is evident, for example, in our annual university scholarship awards for undergraduate students,” he explained. ‘’Secondly, this project serves as our contribution towards the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals agreed in 2015 by all the 193 member states of the United Nations, including Nigeria.”

On her part, the Permanent Secretary of the State Ministry of Education, Lady Rose Bassey, whorepresented the Commissioner for Education in the state, Mrs Idongesit Etiebet, said the administration of Governor Emmanuel Udom was committed to quality education.

She stated that the ministry always welcomed collaborations with corporate organizations and individuals in the sector.

Also speaking, the Commissioner for Power and Petroleum Development, Dr John James Etim, said, “Oriental Energy has proven to be a responsible corporate citizen and a partner to the state. Their social investment in the education sector is incomparable.”

Represented by Engineer Emmanuel Inyang, Director of Petroleum Development, the commissioner added that the state government was poised to improve education to create intellectual and high-capacity manpower.

In the same vein, the Commissioner for Labour and Manpower Planning, Elder Aniefiok Nkom, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Mr Sunday Umana, urged the community and pupils of the school to take ownership of the project and safeguard them from vandalism to serve the purpose they are meant.

On his part, a community leader, Barrister Asuquo Okpo, advised youths in Effiat to shun vandalism and support growth to attract more dividends to the riverside community.