Star Deep Water Petroleum Limited, Chevron’s subsidiary and operator of the Agbami field, says over N7.5bn has been spent on the Agbami Medical and Engineering Professional Scholarship scheme with over 15,000 young Nigerian beneficiaries.
The company said this in a statement in which it, together with its co-venturers, commended 289 beneficiaries of the scheme who graduated in the 2016 convocation ceremony of the University of Lagos, with 32 achieving First Class honours.
The co-venturers in the Agbami field are the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Famfa Oil Limited, Statoil Nigeria Limited and Petroleo Brasileiro Nigeria Limited.
The statement signed by the General Manager, Policy Government and Public Affairs, Star Deep Water Petroleum, Mr. Esimaje Brikinn, said Miss Omotuyi Ajoke, one of the beneficiaries, was the best-graduating student.
She was quoted as saying at the convocation ceremony, “I am grateful to Agbami co-venturers for the scholarship.”
The Acting Director, Star Deep Water Petroleum Limited, Mr. Lanre Kalejaiye, expressed the co-venturers’ delight with the impact of AMEPS, saying, “We congratulate all the beneficiaries of the Agbami Medical and Engineering Professional Scholarship in the University of Lagos. We especially commend the 32 beneficiaries who graduated with First Class degrees. They are all valuable ambassadors of AMEPS.”
According to the statement, AMEPS is a merit-based scholarship scheme established in 2009 and administered by the Agbami co-venturers to bridge the gap in the nations’ supply of engineering and medical professionals.
It said from its inception to date, 310 of the 15,000 beneficiaries had graduated with First Class honours.
As of the end of 2016, over 9,000 of the beneficiaries had graduated from the scheme, while a total of 6,500 are currently on the scheme, according to the statement.
It said the Agbami co-venturers had also provided strategic support for the development of education by donating 26 fully equipped science laboratory complexes, plus six hybrid and two conventional libraries to schools across the country.
The Agbami field is located approximately 70 miles (113 kilometres) offshore Nigeria. And in line with the Deep Offshore Community Affairs Group’s engagement principles, co-venturers view the entire country of Nigeria as Agbami community.
According to the statement, the field, which is currently the single largest oil field in deepwater West Africa, commenced production in July 2008.
