NNPC Partners APWEN to Inspire the Girl-Child for Engineering, Launches “Invent it Build it” Campaign

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The Nigerian national Petroleum Corporation, NNPC has partnered the premier Professional women Engineers’ body in the country to re-awake the interest and passion of Girl-child for Engineering education and practice as the bodies team up to launch “Invent it Build it” Campaign across the country, writes isqil najim

The event commenced with the courtesy visit of the Association and the selected engineering personalities to the Palace of the Emir of Misau. The NSE Deputy President, Engr. Babagana Mohammed led the delegates at around 10:00am at his palace. The Emir, a retired 66 years old former secretary to the Bauchi state government was elated to have such gesture and thanked APWEN for their laudable initiative. the Emir said the best legacy that can be given to our children is quality education. He however prayed for wisdom and guidance for the leaders of APWEN. Engr. Felicia(APWEN President) with the support of NSE Deputy Presidents presented gifts and souvenirs to the Emir.

In her address, APWEN President, Engr. Felicia Agubata thanked all the participants for honouring the flag off the campaign tagged:” Invent It and Build It’, a programme designed to encourage girl child to choose a career in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), She said the first phase of the programme is flagged here in Misau to honour one of the distinguish Engineer of our time, Engr. Dr. Maikanti Baru GMD NNPC for his endless support and contribution to the development of Engineering.

Speaking about the flagged-off programme, in Misau, Bauchi State, NNPC Group Managing Director, Dr. Maikanti Baru, stressed that the Nigerian girl-child possesses the ability to realise her full potential in the study of science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

The GMD, who expressed delight at the kick-off of the project in his alma mater, Central Primary School, Misau, Bauchi State, noted that no nation had ever achieved any meaningful development without the key subjects of Science, Engineering and Technology (SET).

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The “Invent It, Build It” programme by APWEN is to inspire the girl-child (aged 8-10 in the upper primary school) to take up the sciences with a view to pursuing a career in engineering.

“The study of Science, Technology and Engineering requires an eye for details, diligence and multi-tasking ability for which women and, by extension girls, are well known.

“I would like to call on teachers and parents all over the country to encourage the study of Science, Technology & Engineering among the girl-child,” Dr. Baru stated at the ceremony.

Describing engineers as the gears of progress who help accelerate development all over the world, the GMD stressed that the engineering profession held the key to Nigeria’s technological advancement and in turn, economic prosperity.

He lauded APWEN for initiating the “Invent It, Build It” project, saying when the association recently intimated him of its desire to unveil the project, he could not resist the mentoring opportunities which the programme presents.

He said as an NNPC staff, he was very proud of the role played by engineering professionals in the corporation, among whom are engineers, scientists as well as technologists in most of its operations.

He emphasized that the corporation would continue to partner professional bodies towards promoting science, technology and engineering studies, even as he called on well-meaning Nigerians to support APWEN in its laudable initiatives.

He said the APWEN’s initiative would not only encourage young girls nationwide to study engineering, but would also spur other stakeholders across the country to invest in promoting engineering education – especially among the girl-child – for the benefit of the nation.

“I would like to call on teachers and parents all over the country to encourage the study of Science, Technology & Engineering among the girl-child,” Dr. Baru

Speaking earlier, APWEN President, Engr. (Mrs.) Felicia Nnenna Agubata, noted that the “Invent It, Build It” programme was aimed at igniting passion for science, technology, engineering and mathematics among young girls in the country.

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This, she explained, was to assist them to showcase the economic value and application of engineering in everyday life right from their primary school days up to tertiary institutions.

Agubata, who announced APWEN’s scholarship for 10 girls from Misau community from the primary school up to university level, also revealed plans to build and equip a model science laboratory for children at the Central Primary School, Misau, to the jubilation of the students.

She observed that later in the year, the “Invent It, Build It” project would continue in Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Benue, Borno, Ebonyi, Edo, Kano, Kebbi and Ogun States while in 2019, it will spread to other states in the country.

She expressed APWEN’s confidence that early contact with the target group would spark off a desire and an ambition of the girl-child to study the sciences and ultimately pursue engineering as a career in the future.

“We are here to mentor these girls. And it is our belief that as they begin to imagine great careers in engineering and diligently demonstrate passion and with the right guidance, the sky will be their limit,” she noted.

“We are here to mentor these girls. And it is our belief that as they begin to imagine great careers in engineering and diligently demonstrate passion and with the right guidance, the sky will be their limit,”

Also speaking during the event, the Emir of Misau. Alh. Ahmed Suleiman (II), thanked APWEN for choosing some of Misau’s primary schools among the beneficiaries of their projects.

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He charged parents in his community to assist their wards towards studying science, technology and engineering subjects, which he said were pivotal to the industrial development of any nation.

Students are taken through several hand on experiments like: Series Circuit, Piezoelectricity, Buoyancy- Paper boat in water, Telecoms – Cup and string Telephone, Relative Density Display etc . The pupils were trained on how to perform the experiment then, were later asked to do it by themselves, the panel of judges graded them and the Best school went home with a Laptop donated by Senator Chris Ngige.

The 160 selected female pupils across all the primary schools in Misau LG were given a school bag, Hijab, Sucks, Mathematical Set, 5-in-1 Note Books and a pen. Others were given a bad and towel. Plaque was given to the first, Second and Third positions.

The following dignitaries were given an award for their contributions to Education in Nigeria. HRH ALHAJI AHMED SULEIMAN MNI EMIR OF MISAU, ALHAJI AHMAD LELE SULAIMAN CHAIRMAN MISAU LG, ENGR. DR. MAIKANTI BARU GMD NNPC, ENGR. KASHIM ALI COREN PRESIDENT,  ENGR. BABAGANA MOHAMMED NSE DEPUTY PRESIDENT

Thereafter, the laying of foundation for the construction of Engr. Dr. Maikanti Baru Science and Technology Laboratory was done by the Emir of Misau and the GMD of NNPC, the GMD promised that the Laboratory will be commissioned in 6 months time.

DIGNITARIES AT THE EVENT are HRH ALHAJI AHMED SULEIMAN MNI EMIR OF MISAU, ALHAJI AHMAD LELE SULAIMAN CHAIRMAN MISAU LG, ENGR. DR. MAIKANTI BARU GMD NNPC, ENGR. KASHIM ALI COREN PRESIDENT, ENGR. BABAGANA MOHAMMED NSE DEPUTY PRESIDENT, ENGR. (MRS) FELICIA AGUBATA APWEN PRESIDENT,  ENGR.NKECHI ISIGWE APWEN PAST PRESIDENT, ENGR.IDIAT AMUSU APWEN PAST PRESIDENT, ENGR. DR. ROBINSON EJILAH NIMechE NATIONAL CHAIRMAN, ENGR. PROF. ADISA A. BELLO FORMER NIMechE NAT. CHAIRMAN, ENGR ROSE MADAKI NSE V.I CHAIRMAN, ENGR. USMAN ABUBAKAR NSE BAUCHI CHAIRMAN, ALL BAUCHI BRANCH NSE EXECUTIVES AND MORE ..

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Report compiled by Ibrahim Olushola and Isqil Najim

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