The Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Limited (PINL) has awarded scholarships worth N500,000 and N1,000,000 to 600 students from its Bayelsa host communities.

This is as the firm said he was a move to underscore its commitment to education and human capital development in the state.

The scholarship presentation took place on Thursday, April 16, in Yenagoa during its monthly stakeholders meeting.

Beneficiaries include undergraduate and postgraduate students studying in various higher institutions across the region.

The Firm also revealed that it has captured about 1500 students across Bayelsa, Rivers, Delta and Abia States with over 2 billion naira approximately spent.

Dr. Akpos Mezeh, General Manager, Community and Stakeholder Relations at PINL, presented dummy checks to the students.

He commended the host communities’ youths for maintaining peace and helping the firm record zero infractions on oil and gas facilities within their areas.

He said: “Granting scholarships to students of our host communities is a sign that we are committed to their education and human capital development.

“In Bayelsa, we have granted scholarships to 600 students of higher institutions in our host communities to aid their studies.”

Mezeh also announced the commencement of disbursement for the company’s women empowerment and youth skill acquisition programmes.

Scholarship recipients at the event expressed gratitude and pledged to focus on their academics while supporting pipeline security.

Canus Samuel, a civil engineering student at Niger Delta University (NDU), said the support would ease financial pressure.

“I can now concentrate well on my studies and make the company and my community proud. I will do my very best to come out with a good CGPA and become a good engineer.”

Mr Albert, a postgraduate student at NDU, described the scholarship as critical support.

“I’m so happy for this privilege because it will enhance our performance in school. Most of us don’t have better sources of raising funds. It is a real leverage for us.

“We are making a commitment to continue to protect our pipeline so that there will be no vandalism and our operations will go smoothly.”

The Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL) used the occasion to call for deeper collaboration between host communities and PINL to sustain security along the Trans Niger Pipeline.

Engr. Akponime Omojevwe, Head of Field Operations, Eastern Corridor, Project Monitoring Office, NNPCL, praised the existing relationship.

“I’m usually delighted because the bond in Bayelsa between the communities and PINL is a very strong one.

“The collaboration is a hundred percent and we don’t want that rating to drop because you have tried so much. Anytime I come here, I’m always happy because I see the collaboration, I see the unity.”

Omojevwe commended stakeholders for their role in securing the TNP and called for a complete end to pipeline vandalism and illegal bunkering activities.

PINL is a surveillance firm tasked with protecting the Eastern Corridor of the Trans Niger Pipeline (TNP) and the Eastern Gas Network (EGN).