Following the findings at the AEP Education Summit held in 2010, a special purpose vehicle called the AEP Education
Foundation Trust Fund was registered, to enable the Association intervene in a structured and sustainable manner, in the
promotion and development of education in Esanland.
Consequently, the formal launch of the Trust Fund took place at Oriental Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos, on December 14,
2014. The sum of about N40,000,000 (forty million naira) was realized from the total cash and pledges made at the
launch.
To promote education, culture and language of Esanland’
To promote educational development and assist indigent students acquire skills.
To promote the propagation, writing and use of Esan Language.
To promote art and revive cultural renaissance of Esanland.
To promote tourism and development of tourist resorts in Esanland.
AEP through the Education Foundation signed an MOU with the authorities of the Petroleum Training Institute (PTI), Warri, on skill acquisition training in welding and fabrication techniques for Esan youths.
Pursuant to that MOU, the Association of Esan Professionals (AEP) in conjunction with the Petroleum Training Institute (PTI), Warri, trained and graduated twenty (20) Nigerian youths in welding and fabrication competencies under its Skill Acquisition Programme. The twenty (20) Esan youths were in two (2) batches of ten (10) trainees each selected from the five Local Government Areas in Esanland (four per LGA).
During the nine months training period, the graduands acquired skills and technical know-how in strike-an-arch, straight bead, Padding, electricity for arch welding, health and safety in welding, welded joints in plates, weld-ability of steels, shrinkage, residual stress and distortion, welding imperfections, fusion welding processes, general safety in the workshop and on site, inspection and testing, quality assurance in welding, pipe cutting and welding, materials other than non-alloy steel, and so on at 1f, 2f, 3f, 4f, 5f, 1g, 2g, 3g, 4g positions.
The successful youths were appraised in both written examination and a proficiency/practical test conducted by the Petroleum Training Institute (PTI) and the International Institute of Welding (IIW) through the Nigerian Institute of Welding (NIW), leading to full certification by the three bodies to the level of PIPE WELDERS.
AEP paid the sum of ₦14,700,000 as the tuition fees and costs of the trainers’ logistics for the first set of 10 trainees and ₦15,200,000.00 (Fifteen Million, two hundred thousand Naira) for the second batch.
The then Vice President, and the Chairman, Education Foundation Trust Fund Management Board, Chief (Dr.) Leemon Ikpea, provided two bungalows to serve as accommodation to the trainees at no extra cost to the Association. He also gave the trainees the first set of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for their use.
Based on additional request from the trainees, the Association (AEP) spent the additional sum of ₦537,000 and ₦624,000 for the purchase of more Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for the first batch of trainees and second batch respectively.
On the strength of the PTI’s management recommendation, and to increase the trainees’ competitive value/opportunities in the industry on the completion of the training programme, the Association paid the additional sum of ₦6,000,000.00 (Six Million Naira) at ₦3,000,000.00 ( Three Million Naira) per batch to the PTI, as the cost of their International Welder Institute Certification issued by the International Institute of Welding (IIW) through the Nigerian Institute of Welding (NIW) to the trainees.