By John Alechenu, Abuja
The Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), Dr. Dennis Otuaro, has commended President Bola Tinubu for supporting the expansion of the programme’s scholarship scheme.
In a statement issued in Abuja on Monday, Otuaro said four beneficiaries of the programme graduated with distinction in their master’s degree programmes from universities in the United Kingdom.
The beneficiaries are Nina Orubebe (Financial Management), Tonbra Tonlagha (International Hospitality and Tourism), Kemien Egbekun (Law) and Simon Douye (Construction Engineering Management).
They were among 16 PAP-sponsored postgraduate students who completed master’s degree programmes in disciplines including software engineering, oil and gas, data science and engineering, and global public health.
The beneficiaries graduated from institutions including Carnegie Mellon University, Coventry University, Manchester Metropolitan University, the University of Dundee, Anglia Ruskin University, the University of Bedfordshire, Aston University, the University of Cambridge, the University of South Wales and Northumbria University.
Otuaro said the programme has produced 111 master’s and doctoral degree holders since he assumed office in March 2024. According to him, 57 graduated from foreign universities, while 54 completed their studies in Nigerian institutions.
He said the achievements reflect the Federal Government’s investment in education and efforts to strengthen human capital development in the Niger Delta.
“Our decision to expand the scholarship scheme is anchored on the massive support and strong desire of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to bridge the region’s human capital development gap under the Renewed Hope Agenda,” Otuaro said.
He added that the latest achievements by the beneficiaries further justified the programme’s investment in education and its contribution to sustainable peace and socio-economic development in the Niger Delta.
Otuaro also expressed appreciation to President Tinubu and the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, for their support, saying their commitment is helping to promote peace, stability and shared prosperity in the region.
He disclosed that an upward review of PAP’s budget enabled the programme to provide about 9,000 undergraduate and postgraduate scholarships in Nigerian universities, as well as 247 scholarships for higher degree programmes in foreign universities.
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