Science, technology, and bridging gender tech gap seem to preoccupy the minds of the leadership of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC). This is major highlight as region-wide contest in science and tech for girls ended in Port Harcourt.
Samuel Ogbuku, the managing director, revealed that the Commission is boosting education and bridging the gender gap in science and technology by equipping young girls with the necessary skills to thrive in the modern world.
Ogbuku, who spoke during the closing ceremony of the ‘Girl Child Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) competition in Port Harcourt, explained that the initiative was aimed at fostering scientific and technological advancement among young girls in the Niger Delta region.
The managing director, represented by the NDDC director of education, Awele Chukwudifu, emphasised the importance of educating and empowering the girlchild. She stated that the NDDC was committed not only to infrastructural development but also to human capital development.
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According to the NDDC boss, the STEM programme was an essential initiative of the Commission, stating, “This STEM competition has brought enormous benefits to the girlchild by equipping them with the technological skills essential for the future. We appreciate the Commission’s leadership for this”.
Also speaking at the event, Continue Eletu, a professor representing the Director of the Rivers State Office, reaffirmed that the competition aligns with the policy priorities of the NDDC in advancing human capital development.
He said: “The Ogbuku-led administration in NDDC is committed to empowering the Niger Delta girlchild by providing opportunities for them to excel in STEM fields. This initiative has given students a platform to excel in Mathematics, Engineering, and Science, which are fundamental for innovation and societal growth.”
Eletu further highlighted that the competition, which involved participants from the nine Niger Delta states, served as a platform to nurture future leaders in STEM. He stated: “When you train a girl, you train a nation. By investing in the girl child, we are shaping the future of our society.”
In his remarks, Godson Ideozu, the lead consultant, described the event as the grand finale of a rigorous and competitive selection process across the Niger Delta state.
“This programme identifies and nurtures young talents from an early stage. The next phase will involve mentorship to sustain their interest in STEM fields. Just like the NDDC’s Postgraduate Foreign Scholarship Programme, this initiative is designed to build human capacity in various cutting-edge fields such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Computer Science,” he noted.
The highlight of the event was the presentation of awards to the top-performing students, with a teenager, Jegede Osamagbe emerging as the overall winner.
Expressing her gratitude, Osamagbe thanked the NDDC for providing a platform that nurtures and empowers young girls in the STEM field.
“I thank the NDDC for providing girls with the opportunity to showcase their talents and compete at this level. To every young girl out there, remember if you can imagine it, you can achieve it,” she said.
