The Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) has sent 142 qualified beneficiaries on foreign educational scholarship carefully designed to deepen, enhance and broaden the human capacity needs of the Niger Delta Region and country in furtherance of the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration.
The PAP Administrator, Chief Dennis Brutu Otuaro, disclosed that beneficiaries of the all-expenses-paid scholarship programme in the United Kingdom were not only qualified but also carefully selected from a rigorous process for quality contributions to industry demands relevant to the accelerated development of the region and country.
Otuaro spoke at the orientation ceremony held for the departing beneficiaries at the Headquarters of PAP in Maitama, Abuja, on Thursday.
“What we are doing today is a deliberate effort to take Mr. President’s Renewed Hope Agenda to our people. Last year, when we came on board, the mandate was to take this Programme to the people at the grassroots and to the people at the communities.
“If you put the number of beneficiaries today together, about 142, all of them are going for postgraduate studies. We know that when they go and come back, they will add serious values to our communities, nation; and human capacity in the region. In that case, they will contribute any knowledge they have back home to our region.
“We also have other aspects of the Programme. But this educational aspect is on professional courses. It is not an all-comers’ affair. In the areas that we know we can do postgraduate programmes in Nigeria, we are doing them within our country. In terms of the selection process, it is based on qualification and industry demand for the development of Niger Delta and Nigeria,” Chief Otuaro, who promised to do more for Niger Delta people, explained.
The orientation ceremony particularly involved related talks and advice on conducts, tasks, and challenges ahead of the students, many of whom have never travelled outside the shores of Nigeria before.
In one of such important talks, titled: Diplomatic Security Implications, Head of Nigeria Military Police and former Military Attaché to Nigeria High Commission in Ghana, The Provost Marshal Of The Nigerian Army, Maj-Gen. M. O. Erebulu, admonished the students to be of good conduct.
“What we are doing today reminds us of the history of this Programme. For the first time, we are having a huge number of students like these going out of the country. PAP has impacted on the lives of the people of Niger Delta.
“Our conduct over there is very important. What you do and get away with at home, you can’t get away with over there.
“You’re carrying the flag of the country. So, you’re an ambassador of this country. When you’re caught with drugs, the first reaction is that you’re a Nigerian. Abstain from drugs. Don’t wait until when your passport expires before renewal. Anything about your visa, do it on time,” Erebulu stated.
In his important talk, titled: The Cultural and Social Dynamics of Studying in the UK and Europe, the Technical Assistant to the PAP Administrator, Mr. Edgar Bio, urged the students to work hard for academic excellence.
Mr. Bio said, “With regards to your obligations as students, see yourselves as beneficiaries of this Programme. Think of what you can give back or do for your country, the Niger Delta and your community.
“The laws of the country where you’re going to study, keep and obey them. Keep away from drugs.
“There is what is called over there as conditional rape. Your spoken language, social culture and conducts must be restrained. You must focus on your education.”
Other speakers included PAP Head of Education, Dr. Charles Ariye, who spoke on: the Academic Dynamics of Studying in the UK and PAP Assistant Head of Education, Mr. Anthony Okon, who spoke on: PAP’s Responsibilities to Beneficiaries.
The beneciaries are made up of two batches of 71 students each. The ceremony concluded with a group photograph that followed questions and answers as well as an affirmation of acceptance of the scholarship terms and conditions by all beneficiaries.