Nigerian Maritime Varsity Student wins best environmental project proposal in global competition, gets N560k

Promise Ebubechukwu Ikem-Nwosu, a student of Maritime University (NMU), Delta State, has emerged as the best student globally for his environmental project proposal in a Project Green Challenge (PGC) competition, organised by a United States-based non-governmental organisation (NGO).

By this remarkable feat, the 200 level student of the Department of Marine Environment and Pollution Control in the Faculty of Environmental Management in the maritime university has won a cash prize of $1,000 as support grant by the Turning Green Organisation based in California, USA, to fund his environmental proposal that qualifies him for the award.

The award recipient was among 14 finalists shortlisted globally by the NGO for a Climate Action Project (CAP) proposal by the finalists conducted annually as part of measures to address the global concerns on environmental degradation and pollution that are currently constituting a major threat to human existence.

Speaking with The Education Report on the award, Ikem-Nwosu, said he participated in the competition through the virtual aide and was supported by the university’s management, under the leadership of Prof. Emmanuel Munakurogha Adigio, the vice-chancellor (VC) of the institution.

According to him; “I won a Climate Action Project funding under the Turning Green organisation which is an NGO in California, USA. I was among the 14 finalists internationally and I presented a CAP proposal for which I emerged best among the international finalists and won a cash price of a thousand US dollars to help in funding this project which I proposed.

“And with the help of this and other grants, which I hope to get from the public and my school, I’ll carry out a project, which includes buying of recycle receptacles to help in collecting plastics from the campus community in Okerenkoko, and buying of solar panels to be installed in the school compound to help reduce the over-dependence on fossil fuels for daily energy.”

He continued: “I’m also expected to create environmental awareness on the effects of plastics and fossil fuels on the marine environment of the Niger Delta region. These are what I proposed for my Climate Action Project that won me the award and I see it as a turning point in my life.”

On when he intend to commence work on the project, Ikem-Nwosu said: “I have a deadline of April 2022 to accomplish these projects, which I’ve proposed. So, I plan to begin these projects immediately I receive the funding from the organisation and other assistance from my school and hopefully the public to beat the deadline.”