A’Ibom deputy gov commends foundation

Akpan Umo, Uyo

The Akwa Ibom State Deputy Governor, Mr Moses Ekpo has commended the Edet Amana Foundation for their STEP-FAP project aimed at imparting students with modern knowledge for global competitiveness.

Ekpo stated that the project has helped many students particularly, the indigent children across the state.

He stated this while receiving trustees of the Edet Amana Foundation and the programme Executive from Imperial College, London, on a courtesy visit to him, at Government House, Uyo.

STEP-FAP is an acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Future Assured Programme.

The deputy governor stressed the key role played by science, technology, engineering and mathematics, adding that they were the main drivers of the global economy.

Ekpo expressed happiness about the project for exclusively training young Akwa Ibom children in the four key areas of the programme, described as a life-changing project.

He affirmed the state government’s interest in the project and promised to make every contribution necessary to ensure that Akwa Ibom children benefit maximally from the programme.

“I commend the President of the Edet Amana Foundation for the huge investment made over the years in education and other strategic areas of intervention aimed at improving the livelihood of the citizenry.

“I would also like to thank the arrowhead of the programme, Dr Sunday Popola of the Imperial College, London, as well as Prof. Akpan Ekpo and other Board of Trustee members for ensuring the success and sustainability of the project,” Ekpo added.

Earlier, the President of Edet Amana Foundation, Sir Edet Amana said the Foundation was set up in 2018 to coordinate his philanthropic legacy and provide a structured platform to reach out to disadvantaged people.

Amana noted that the focused areas include; education, healthcare, skills acquisition and economic empowerment in the state and Nigeria.

He disclosed that so far, 2,740 people across Nigeria have benefited directly from philanthropic interventions.

He stressed the urgent need for the state and Nigeria as a whole to strategically position itself in the global learning space of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics as the future of the world depends on them.

According to him, “STEM-FAP is a children’s holiday camp sponsored by the Foundation curated by Creative Futures Nigeria/ Imperial College, London to domesticate the global concept and system of teaching STEM to primary school children of age 8-11years”.

The President disclosed that for the STEP-FAP project that is coming up soon, a total of 33 schools,136 pupils and 33 teachers have been selected for the programme held in Uyo.

He announced that the Edet Amana Foundation is setting up a Tech Innovation Centre in Oron to build local capacity, and skills development for youths in the rural communities in order to help raise the bar for STEM education and the standard of living in Akwa Ibom State.

He appreciated the Deputy Governor for his support of the project, expressing hope that it would spur other public-spirited individuals to donate towards the future of Akwa Ibom and humanity.

The high point of the event was the presentation of a plague to the Deputy Governor by the President of the Edet Amana Foundation for his support.