TheCable

The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has awarded scholarships worth N5 million each for the tertiary education of five female students from Ondo, Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Cross River states.

The students – Ayomide Adeyeye, Amarachi Orjiugo, Edidiong Francis Bassey, Blessing Jeremiah James and Grace Bassey – were among the top 10 winners at the grand finale of the Girls in Engineering, Mathematics and Science (GEMS) competition, which held in Port Harcourt, Rivers state, on Wednesday.

Ayomide Adeyeye from Ondo emerged the overall winner from a total of 33 GEMS finalists who were selected from three regional competitions organised by the commission.

Speaking at the occasion, Ibim Semenitari, acting managing director of the NDDC, said the finalists were selected from a rigorous elimination process that began with 2,880 girls from the 9 states covered by the commission.

“From the first screening test, 1,110 girls were selected at 30 girls per state. They progressed to the state finals, where 11 girls qualified from each of the three regions,” she said.

Semenitari said GEMS was meant to promote innovative research and standards-based practices, which would encourage students with interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics to thrive in the 21st century global economy.

“We believe that science and technology can become exciting again, for our young ones,” she said.

“GEMS presents a healthy competition that helps our girls interpret science in such a way that we can use science, in a glamorous way, to do every day things, and resolve every day challenges.”

Semenitari added that GEMS would ignite a spark within the girls, as well as in the society, which was expected to build into a fire that would lead to great things.

“It is good for our society, and good for the Niger Delta region. It is good for our collective future,” she sais.

“Consequently, we call on other well-meaning organisations across the Niger Delta, especially oil and gas companies, to partner with us on the GEMS programme, so that it becomes a worthy and engaging incubator for breeding young ladies who will grow up to conquer the world in various STEM-related careers.”

In his address, Ogbonnaya Onu, minister of science and technology, said the GEMS programme would give the girl child in Niger Delta region in particular, and Nigeria at large a sense of pride, dignity and opportunity to excel in engineering, mathematics and science studies which before now, had been dominated by their male counterparts.

Represented by Nnenna Okoronkwo, a director in his ministry, Onu said the current administration placed a high premium on science, technology and innovation.