Tony Anichebe 
RUSAL, managers of the Aluminum Smelter Company of Nigeria (ALSCON), has sponsored a quiz competition among selected secondary schools in Ikot Abasi Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.
The quiz tournament tagged: ‘Rusal Educational Summit 2025′ was organized by the community Education Development Initiative (CEDI) with support from RUSAL, managers of ALSCON.
The competition, which took place at the Alscon Staff Secondary School, was aimed at boosting the educational growth and development of students of the company’s host communities.
The General Manager of Public Relations of ALSCON, Alexander Ashkenazi, who declared the quiz tournament open, said the quiz competition was part of the company’s community social responsibility (CSR) to it’s host communities.
Apart from the quiz tournament, Ashkenazi maintained that ALSCON has initiated several educational and skills empowerment programmes within and outside the company for indigenes of the Ikot Abasi local government area and its environs.
He said, “RUSAL’s management pays great attention to the educational process and everything related to increasing students’ motivation and developing useful practical skills.
“We have initiated a series of essential processes for the community, including: Providing assistance in the Russia-Nigeria bilateral educational program.
”Currently, 10 sons and daughters of Ikot Abasi are already involved in it. In 2024, 7 students were sent. In 2025, 5 candidates, of which 3 are already studying, and 2 are preparing to be sent. Currently, 11 are undergoing pre-training for dispatch at the end of 2025.”
On skills acquisition training Ashkenazi said, ”As part of the Fork Lift initiative, which is an active form of the industrial attachment, 5 young men have been trained and acquired the skills to operate a Forklift truck.
“Computer classes are conducted on the basis of our laboratory, in which 2 groups of 17 students have already graduated. The third group of 9 people is being trained.
“We have initiated the second round of Industrial attachment in the areas of welder and mechanic – this is a pilot program that started on March 03, 2025, and involves 2 representatives of Icot Abasi.
“The Ikot Abasi Skills Acquisition Centre for girls was opened in November 2024. Now children have the opportunity to acquire practical skills by studying hairdressing, modelling, manicure and pedicure, tailoring and shoemaking.
“The association of young single mothers contacted us and now the centre provides them with free assistance.”
He said that RUSAL’s management and ALSCON are firmly committed to the goal of resuming ALSCON’s operations after resolving key issues like the legal dispute over ownership and stable gas supply after a feasible price has been agreed on.
“We are confident that through joint efforts with the support of the community and their leaders at the local and regional levels, as well as with the participation of the federal government, it will be possible to resolve all existing obstacles”, Ashkenazi said.
Earlier the Coordinator of CEDI, Uboho Oku explained that the quiz competition was organized to promote academic excellence and boost the minds of young people in Ikot Abasi.
“We sincerely appreciate RUSAL, the managers of ALSCON for sponsorship of this quiz competition aimed at promoting academic excellence and brightening the future of young people”, he said.
Alscon Staff Secondary School emerged overall winner of the quiz competition followed by Saint Theresa Secondary School which came second.
Ten schools participated in the quiz competition.
