UCIDS wins maiden UNICEM inter school Safety Debate Competition

THE University of Calabar International Demonstration School (UCIDS), Calabar has emerged winners of the maiden edition of the United Cement Company of Nigeria Limited (UNICEM) Inter Schools Safety Debate Competition for Secondary Schools in Cross River State.

 Federal Government Girls College finished second in the keenly contested event, while Government Model Secondary School, took the third position.

  The competition, which was held at the firm’s Head Office in Calabar, had 24 secondary schools drawn from Calabar Municipal, Calabar South, Akampka and Akpabuyo council areas. It is expected to be a yearly event.

  While addressing the participating schools, Managing Director of UNICEM, Mr. Olivier Lenoir, said the debate was organised to assess the understanding of safety issues by the participants as well as its impacts on young people.

  He said being a company that places very high premium on, and remains committed to safety measures, UNICEM decided to entrench the culture of safety among school children.

 “In our efforts to promote safety as way of life and get our communities become safer, it is one of our strategies to entrench a safety culture outside of our operations,” he said adding “We have collaborated with various institutions like the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Department of Public Transportation (DOPT). We believe these collaborations will strengthen the campaign and ensure sustainability of the initiative to achieve the intended objectives”.

  Lenoir stressed on the need to educate young ones on safety issues through debate adding that the exercise could also serve as a tool to support the development of public speaking skills.

  According to him, “we are demonstrating further our commitment to safety and increasing our safety campaigns with young people who represent the future in line with our commitment to build a better future.”