No fewer than 70 students from select schools in the Niger Delta region would benefit from a special capacity development training sponsored by oil giant, Total E&P Nigeria Limited.
The Company’s Deputy Managing Director, Port Harcourt District, Mr. François Le-Cocq, disclosed this at the opening of the 2018 Summer Bootcamp for the students held at Songhai Farms and Resort in Tai Local Government Area of Rivers State.
Le-Cocq, who was represented at the event by the Community Affairs Manager, Port Harcourt and Offshore, Mr. Okechukwu Obara, said the programme was part of the Company’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) drive to its hosts and neighboring communities.
The programme, Le-Cocq said is “planned to last for two weeks with a total of 70 students (Senior Secondary School Students within 16 and 22 years of age).”
The manager stated that this year’s summer camp was in accordance with the United Nations adoption of 12th August every year to celebrate the youths and draw attention to issues bordering on their development across the countries of the world.
He said: “Total as a company has continued to believe in and invest in human capacity development in various ways, and this is one of those ways we continue to invest in the future of the youth in areas where we operate.
“This continued investment in the youths, we believe will assist in creating an environment of peace and progress which in the long run will engender development and growth.
“The camping will provide opportunities for skills acquisition in key areas such as information technology and resources management, entrepreneurship development, physical and health education, leadership and civic education, photography, career goals development and other soft skills.
“This programme also fits into the aspiration expressed by the United Nations, as it is targeted at ensuring that youths come together from varying backgrounds and experiences to engage in activities that reflect their needs and interests.
“At the end of the programme, we anticipate that all participants would see the variety of opportunities open to them to engage themselves mentally and succeed in the future.”
“We (Total) remain hopeful that you (the students) will join forces with your predecessors and alumni of this programme to build a network for sustainable peace in your immediate communities and the Niger Delta in general,” Le-Cocq noted.
In his remark, the organiser of the event and President of Explore Africa Foundation, Mr. Ernest Nnadi, said the 70 participating students were selected from secondary schools across Total’s host communities in Rivers and Akwa Ibom States.
Two of the students, Fortune Eke (male)/ and Esther Ekwere (female) from Government Comprehensive Secondary School, Obite, Rivers State and Comprehensive High School, Edemaya, Akwa Ibom states respectively thanked Total for giving them the opportunity to meet and learn from professionals, basic career goals and other skills.
