Amnesty programme scholarship beneficiaries rise to 9,000 – Otuaro

PAP Administrator, Dr Dennis Otuaro

The Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Dr Dennis Otuaro, has said the Federal Government’s efforts to bridge the human capital development gap in the Niger Delta are yielding results, with more than 9,000 youths benefiting from scholarship programmes.

Otuaro said the development was a reflection of President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to expanding educational opportunities for young people in the oil-rich region as part of efforts to promote sustainable peace, stability and development.

He stated this while addressing another batch of 35 Niger Delta postgraduate scholarship beneficiaries who departed Nigeria for universities in England and Scotland on Monday.

According to him, the scholars were expected to see their educational opportunities not only as personal investments but also as preparation to contribute to the development of the Niger Delta and Nigeria.

“The deliberate effort to reduce the human capital development gap in the Niger Delta is on course under President Bola Tinubu, and he is resolutely committed to it.

“This is reflected by the over 9,000 scholarship beneficiaries we have deployed within and outside the country because of the President’s favourable disposition to expansion of educational sponsorships and other initiatives of the programme,” Otuaro said.

The latest beneficiaries are part of 150 offshore postgraduate scholars who participated in a pre-departure orientation organised by the PAP in August.

Two batches of 54 and 31 beneficiaries had earlier departed for the United Kingdom, bringing the number of scholars sent overseas so far this year to 243.

The beneficiaries are pursuing postgraduate programmes in critical fields including forensic audit, construction engineering management, data science analytics, law, software engineering, oil and gas engineering, cybersecurity, global public health and fintech analytics.

The development comes amid continuing concerns over the need to equip young people in the Niger Delta with skills and qualifications that can support economic diversification and reduce dependence on the region’s oil resources.

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The Presidential Amnesty Programme, established as part of the Federal Government’s response to militancy in the Niger Delta, has over the years used education, skills acquisition and other empowerment initiatives as part of its reintegration and human capital development mandate.

Otuaro said the education component of the programme was particularly important to the region’s long-term stability, stressing that beneficiaries must maximise the opportunities provided by the government.

“You are expected to focus on your studies because that is the primary purpose of your academic journey overseas. Gird yourself, go for excellence, and don’t engage in activities that will endanger you and your studies,” he said.

He urged the scholars to avoid activities that could jeopardise their academic programmes or undermine Nigeria’s image abroad.

Otuaro said the beneficiaries would eventually be expected to play important roles in promoting sustainable peace, community development and nation-building in the Niger Delta.

He also expressed appreciation to Tinubu for what he described as the President’s prioritisation of the region under his Renewed Hope Agenda.

The PAP administrator further thanked the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, for his supervision of the programme, saying his support had contributed to efforts to ensure that the initiative achieved its objectives.

He also commended stakeholders in the Amnesty Programme for their contributions to sustaining peace and security in the Niger Delta.

Otuaro expressed optimism that the scholarship programme would continue to provide opportunities for young people in the region, while urging beneficiaries to remain focused on their studies and return with skills that could contribute to national development.

He also called on the people of the Niger Delta to support Tinubu’s bid for continuity, arguing that the President’s support for educational sponsorships demonstrated his commitment to the region.