Dr. Sapele Frank and His Research Team Win the EDTF Research Grant Worth Million of Naira

BY SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

The trio of Dr. Sapele, F. Frank, Dr. Godwin Poi, principal researcher and Tambou Joseph have won the most competitive and first Tertiary Institutions Research Grants Scheme under the aegis of the Education Development Trust Fund Board, Bayelsa State.

Dr. Sapele, F.F and his team are to research on ‘ Poverty Reduction Through the Micro and Small Enterprises of Nigeria: A Study of Bayelsa State’.

Presenting the award at the secretariat of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Yenogua, Bayelsa State last week, the acting chairman of the board, Professor Francis Sikoki said that out of the 64 academic scholars from all the higher institutions in the state that applied, only 9 research teams were selected based on merit.

He said it was the first the board had carried out such competition under his watch, wishing the awardees to judiciously utilise the fund so as to come up with a good result.

Professor Sikoki added that the next fund raising would come up by September, urging the public should to attend and donate to promote research.

Also speaking, the Executive Secretary of the EDTF board Dr.(Mrs) Alice. A. Atuwo advised the awardees to come up with an enduring outcome.

She commended the Government of Bayelsa State, the Commissioner for Education and the Selection Committee members for not interfering in the whole process where merit was purely adopted to get the best researchers.

Dr. Sapele in his speech noted how he is proud to be associated with such huge success as UAT researchers won 5 from the 9 grants given to the participated researchers.

In the same line, one of the lead team researchers and acting Dean,UAT ,Dr. Poi promised to work very well and stand by coming out with a lasting solution on the research outcome.

He noted that many research findings in Nigeria are not implemented and he urged the board to come up with measures to implement the findings once done.

Editor

Jude Ossai (JP) a veteran journalist is a National Diploma holder in Mass Communication from Ogwashi-Uku Polytechnic Ogwashi-Uku, Delta State. He also studied at Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT) Enugu and Imo State University, Owerri for his first and second degrees in Mass Communication, respectively. He writes extensively on politics, crime, corruption, climate change, healthcare, human rights, social justice, among others.