Abia and Akwa Ibom States have emerged winners of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) annual national quiz competition for states in the South-east and South-south zones of the country respectively.

Participating states in the south-east contest which held at St. John of God Secondary School, Awka, Anambra State were Anambra, Ebonyi, Abia, Imo and Enugu States, those for the south-south contest held at Imaguero College, Benin City were Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo and Rivers.

The competition featured Biology, Chemistry, English Language, Mathematics and Physics.

Abia scored 55 points, Enugu followed closely with 40 points, Imo and Anambra were tied in the third place with 35 points each, while Ebonyi took the rear with 25 points.

The winner will represent the zone in the national grand finale in Abuja later this month.

For the south-south zone, the trio of Udoh Favour, Uwakmfon Joseph and Faith Brown from Airforce Comprehensive School, Uyo; Pegasus High School, Eket; and Government Secondary School, Afaha, Eket scored a total of 65 points ‎to make it to the grand finale for the second time in a row.

Rivers came second with 55 points; Delta and Cross River came third and fourth with 50‎ and 45 points respectively; while Edo and Bayelsa scored 40 and 20 points respectively to settle for the fifth and sixth positions.

In his remarks, the Group General Manager, Corporate Social Responsibility Division of NNPC, Mr. Ohi Alegbe, who congratulated the ‎winners, said the zonal round was a stepping stone towards the grand finale, adding that the corporation has continued to ensure that the competition is held annually as part of its commitment towards preparing The National Co-coordinator of the competition, Mr. Olutayo Sani, said the corporation embarked on the initiative as part of its corporate social responsibility to Nigerians because it believes that the best legacy one can bequeath to a child is education.

He said the preliminary stages started with private and public schools in the three senatorial districts in each state; from there, the competition moved to the state level and on to the zonal level.

The Anambra State Commissioner for Education, Prof. Kate Omenugha, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Mrs. Beatrice Okonkwo, thanked the NNPC for instituting the competition as part of its corporate social responsibility.

Her counterpart in Edo State, Mr. Gideon Obhakhan, commended the organiser for its consistency in promoting scholarship among Nigerian students.

Obhakhan, who was represented by a Director of Science, Technical and Vocational Education in the ministry, Mrs. Martina Oziegbe, said, “given the challenges that children are faced with today, especially with the rapid advancement in technology, education can only serve to ensure a brighter, successful and fulfilled life for today’s children.”