UI student wins 6th edition of NCDMB essay competition

UI student wins 6th edition of NCDMB essay competition

Amgbare Ekaunkumo, Yenagoa

A second-year student of Political Science , University of Ibadan, Oyo State, Mr. Ayotomiwa Elesho has emerged as the winner of the 6th edition of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) Annual National Undergraduate Essay competition.

He received the star prize of One Million Naira (N1,000,000) and laptop at the award ceremony held at Zamai Event centre Nostalgea cinema, Isaac Boro express way, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State on Wednesday.

The essay by the 23-year-old was adjudged the best amongst over 2000 entries submitted by undergraduates who must be within their first and 2nd year in the university.

The topic for this year’s essay contest was “ Strategizing for transformation to clean energy in the changing global energy landscape:The NCDMB intervention.

Mr. Victor Sunday, a 200-level law student, University of Nigeria, Nsukka emerged the first runner up and won a cash prize of Seven Hundred Thousand Naira (N700,000.00),while Mr.Doutimibraladei Timothy Frank , a 100-level Mechanical engineering student of federal University Otuoke, Bayelsa State placed third and won a cash prize of Five Hundred Thousand Naira (N500,000.00).

All the top ten finalists received HP laptops as part of their prizes.

In his keynote address at the event, the Executive Secretary of NCDMB, Engr. Simbi Kesiye Wabote disclosed that the competition was geared towards developing human and material capacities, which is one of the key mandates of the Board.

He explained that, NCDMB begin to sponsor the annual essay competition to inculcate local content, consciousness among undergraduates in tertiary institution to make them understand that local content is an economic imperative for Sustainable development of our economy, creation of job opportunities and national security.

The Executive Secretary who was represented by the Barr. Dan-Kikile , Head Corporate Communication, revealed that the annual essay competition is also to promote academic excellence for young undergraduates in Nigerian tertiary institutions and the Nigerian content policy to encourage the youths to build local capacities and competencies to prepare for effective participation in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry.

He mentioned that the competition is one of the Board’s interventions to improve the standard of education in Nigeria, which he noted will help to promote proficiency in writing, increase the participants’ awareness of local content and engender citizen engagement from undergraduate level.

According to him” Illiteracy and effective communication are critical to citizens engagement and sustainable local content practice.

“Enlightened citizenry is required for local content advocacy and to nudge public institution to be more accountable, transparent and alive to quality service delivery.

“Therefore, the annual essay competition is reoriented to encourage reading and writing, promote analytical and critical thinking among Nigeria Youths.These competencies are vital for enriched problem solving and effective citizen engagement.”

While congratulating the finalists for their hard work and dedication, he charged that the students to remain diligent in their studies and continue to hunger for new knowledge.

In his welcome remarks, Chairman of the occasion, an elder statesman, Sen.Inatimi Spiff commended NCDMB for sponsorship of the yearly essay competition, saying it has positively reshape the mindset of Nigerian youths to be analytical, innovative and creative.

The former senator noted that the board was established for the primary purpose to not only ensure and but also increase indigenous participation in the oil and gas industry by building local capacities and competencies to boost industry contributions to the growth of Nigeria’s economy and industrialization.

He said NCDMB has impacted and enhanced local participation in the oil and gas industry in an appreciable manner, stressing where artisans and other unskilled personnel were brought from abroad to work in the oil and gas industry even where local capacity abound has become a thing of the past.

According to Sen.Inatimi”This is what has made the topic for the essay competition instructive and apt.
It, no doubt, may have tasked the creative skills of our undergraduates to
develop their research capabilities and competences.

” Nonetheless, as envisaged, it was intended to enhance their understanding of the local content drive so as to effectively position them to explore opportunities not only in the oil and gas industry but establishments committed to alternate energy sources.

“The world appears concerned about the
level of carbon emission, principally from oil and gas exploratory activities, which is suspected to be responsible for a number of environmental hazards
globally.

“Today, the discourse everywhere centres on renewable energy, with countries committing billions of dollars to advance the quest for alternate energies,thirty year target is already set to eliminate cars that rely upon fossil fuel and the America state of California, a such would be replaced with electric powered vehicles. The sole purpose for
this policy is to avoid further carbon emission to save our climate.”

In his address, Mr.Eyinimi Omorozi CEO, Mahogany 21st century concepts limited ( program consultant) said the 2022 edition of the NCDMB national academic exercise is the sixth in the series and is organized annually primarily to promote the writing, analytical and research conduct potentials of the students to enhance academic excellence as well as create awareness for the youths on the local content policy so as to position them effectively to explore the numerous opportunities in the oil and gas industry.

In his comments, the star prize winner, Mr. Ayotomiwa Elesho appreciated the Board for the opportunity given to Nigerian youths, noting that the exercise has improved his understanding of local content in the oil and gas industry.

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