Winner Emerge In Seplat’s N7m Star Prize Quiz Competition In Delta

Students of the Presentation National High School Benin City, Edo State have won the star prize of N7million in seventh edition of Seplat Pearl Quiz Competition held at Unity Hall Government House, Asaba, Delta State capital.

The competition which commenced on Monday, October 8, 2018 came to a rousing finale on Friday with each of the three student representatives of the star prize winner rewarded with the sum of N100, 000 and a laptop.

Seplat also rewarded the second place winner, Lawrence Prentice Academy, Delta State with N3m prize money for a project in their school while the three student representatives got the sum of N75, 000.00 each.

Also, winners of the third place prize, University Preparatory Secondary School (U.P.S.S.), Benin got N1m cash prize while each student representative was rewarded with the sum of N50, 000.00.

Speaking at the event, Governor of Delta State, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa who was represented by Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Mr. Chiedu Ebie thanked Seplat for the initiative which he said was in tandem with the state government education goals.

The Operations Director of Seplat, Mr. Effiong Okon, who represented Seplat CEO, Mr. Austin Avuru at the event, said that it was a constant discussion at Seplat to find out more ways in which the company can further give to its host communities.

He said: “The Pearls Quiz programme is one of Seplat’s CSR initiatives, which we take very seriously not just because it inspires excellence in secondary school children in public and private schools in our host states but also because it addresses the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) number 4.”

He told those present that education was important to Seplat because if you get education right every other thing will fall into place and that is why they spend a lot of time at Seplat strategising to make the Pearls Quiz competition work and hence will keep expanding it.

Earlier, the General Manager, External Affairs and Communications, Seplat Petroleum Development, Dr. Chioma Nwachukwu, highlighted the positive impact of the programme in their host communities.

According to her, Seplat is committed to running the Pearl quiz annually to promote academic excellence and healthy competition,  while motivating and encouraging the spirit of teamwork”.

The competition has afforded the organisation the opportunity to intervene in the provision of scholarships to 51 students, provision of furniture and stationery to 15 schools across Delta and Edo, host states of the company and 4 winning schools have been awarded brand-new 16-seater Toyota Hiace buses, she said.

“We have been involved with the  implementation of valuable infrastructural projects in 15 schools, as well as numerous consolation prizes doled out over the years, she said adding, the figures keep increasing at the end of each edition of the competition.”

This year, all the teachers who prepared and accompanied the students were presented valuable gifts for their effort. Even Marble Hill School, which came fourth, took home prizes while each participating student got N10,000 (Ten thousand naira).

BigPen Online reports that Seplat began this local empowerment initiative involving all Secondary Schools in host states in an all round curriculum quiz competition, barely three years ago.