The Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), Dr. Dennis Otuaro, has urged scholars under the Programme’s foreign scholarship scheme to justify the Federal Government’s investment in them by taking their studies seriously.
The PAP boss gave this advice during his meeting with the Programme’s scholarship students currently studying in the United Kingdom on Sunday.
A statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Mr. Igoniko Oduma, on Monday quoted Otuaro as stressing that much was expected from the students in their academic performance to justify the Federal Government’s investment in their education.
He told them that the PAP scholarship scheme had produced a large number of graduates who achieved first-class and second-class upper divisions in competitive disciplines, including the sciences and clinical sciences.
He urged them to sustain the tradition of academic excellence demonstrated by their counterparts back home in the foreign country.
According to him, many PAP graduates are doing very well in their post-graduation endeavors and contributing significantly to national growth and development.
Otuaro stated that his administration was implementing measures to make the scholarship scheme more robust to bridge the human capacity gap in the Niger Delta.
He said he would continually prioritize the scholarship and welfare of students studying in Nigerian and foreign universities under the ongoing reintegration phase of the programme.
The PAP boss stated that this aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s vision for peace, security, stability, and socio-economic development in the Niger Delta, as outlined in his Renewed Hope Agenda.
Otuaro noted that Tinubu was pleased with the success stories and the impressive academic performances of the programme’s scholarship students at home and abroad.
He said the president, encouraged by these excellent academic feats, had expressed a strong commitment to supporting the Office to enhance initiatives in educational and vocational training for youths in the region.
He thanked Tinubu for his favorable disposition toward the Office and his efforts to foster the transformation of the region through his Renewed Hope Agenda.
While advising the students to be good ambassadors of the PAP, their respective communities, the Niger Delta, and the Federal Government, Otuaro urged them to avoid negative actions that could tarnish the country’s reputation.
Otuaro, while addressing the students, said, “As PAP scholarship students abroad, it is very important that you study hard and aim to achieve the best grades in your academics. That is what you have been sent here to do, and that is what you are here to do—nothing else. Nigeria deserves nothing less than good conduct and outstanding academic performance from you.
“We will always prioritize your scholarship and welfare because this is one avenue through which we can achieve our goal of closing the existing gap in human capital development in our region.
“Let me take this opportunity to inform you that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is very pleased with the fact that PAP scholarship students are achieving first-class and second-class upper divisions in various courses of study, particularly in the sciences, engineering, and clinical sciences.
“Therefore, the Niger Delta is well represented in Mr. President’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which is why he is very supportive of the Office regarding the educational and vocational programmes we carry out to enhance the reintegration phase of the programme for the benefit of our people.
“We are immensely grateful to Mr. President, and that is why I urge you all to take your studies seriously and not disappoint the Federal Government, the PAP Office, and the Niger Delta region from which you come.”
In response, the students expressed gratitude to the PAP boss for visiting them and prioritizing their scholarship and welfare.
They expressed delight that the PAP boss decided to personally visit them, which they saw as a clear indication of the government’s seriousness about their education and welfare.
They promised to be good ambassadors and to do their best to justify the investment in their education and future.
