NNPC/MPN JV EMOIMEE (MBO) HCDT awards scholarship to 200 students

Set to empowers over 843 with business grants

The EMOIMEE MBO Host Community Development Trust (HCDT) has awarded scholarship to 200 students of Mbo local government area, while also gearing up to empower over 843 people with business grants.

The scholarship funds were paid directly to the accounts of beneficiaries, after they had submitted online applications and later appeared physically for screening.

Speaking to applicants of the programme on Friday, July 13, 2024, at the Oron Union House in Uyo, the Member of the Board of Trustees of the NNPC/MPN JV EMOIMEE (MBO) Host Community Development Trust, Sir Asuquo Inuikim, said the initiative was geared towards assisting indigent students to excel in their academics.

Addressing the scholarship applicants and beneficiaries during the enlightenment engagement, Dr Asuquo Inuikim told the applicants that some of them got disqualified because of discrepancies found in their applications.

Flanked by the Advisory Committee Member, Sir Ita Ntekim and the Management Committee Member, Chief Edet E. Okon, the board member informed those in attendance that the gesture was a yearly programme funded by the NNPC/MPN JV EMOIMEE HCDT through the implementation of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).

Explaining that the goal was to sponsor beneficiaries throughout the duration of their academic programmes, Chief Inuikim warned them against fraudulent manipulation of documents, saying those found doing so would stand disqualified.

Click the link below to watch the video of the scholarship meeting.

Also speaking, the President-General of Oron Union, Sir Essang Nsa Bassey, represented by the Secretary-General, Dr Chris Okon, appreciated the representative of the Mbo EMOIMEE HCDT, the Advisory and Management Committee members for a job well done.

Sir Esang Bassey encouraged the beneficiaries to do well to improve on their academic performances, so as to justify their selection for the programme.

Miss Rigina Isangedighi, a beneficiary of the scholarship and a law student at the University of Uyo, expressed her gratitude, on behalf of her fellow recipients.

Other stakeholders in attendance included Comrade Sunday Antai, Editor-in-Chief of WatchmanPost Newspaper, Mr John Bassey, BOT Chairman of Oron Union Student Wing, and the Consultant for the scholarship project, Miss Abigail Job Okon.

Meanwhile, speaking in Oron during a meeting with beneficiaries of the empowerment programme, at the Miami Escape Event Centre, Sir Inuikim encouraged beneficiaries to ensure that the funds are injected into their respective businesses.

He stressed that during monitoring of the businesses, only those seen to have made judicious use of the funds would be further supported to grow.

He used the occasion to enlighten participants of the various programmes of the Trust which he said would turn things around for the people of Mbo LGA, both women and men.

Also speaking, Mr John Bassey who is the consultant in charge of the cooperative societies for the empowerment beneficiaries, urged them to get enlisted in their communities’ corporative in order to enable them have effective management of the funds and easy access to future supports and other upcoming benefits.

Click the link below to watch the video of the empowerment meeting.

Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, Mrs Mary Iniekung said they were grateful to the EMOIMEE HCDT for their initiative, adding that the gesture will bring succour to the less privileged.

While all 200 scholarship beneficiaries were paid N400,000 each, over 427 intending beneficiaries of the empowerment programme are to receive N250,000 each for Medium Scale businesses, and over 416 beneficiaries are to receive N150,000 each for Small Scale businesses.

In attendance at the meeting with empowerment beneficiaries were Management members including Chief Ulo A. Uye and Chief Edet E. Okon, as well as Advisory Committee member, Sir Ita Ntekim.