From Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
The Presidential Amnesty Programme has commenced the distribution of laptops to final-year and post-graduate students under its scholarship scheme in partnering universities across the country.
To this end, 64 PAP scholarship beneficiaries, made up of 25 students from Nile University and 39 from Baze University, were presented with their laptops on Friday and Monday in the first phase of the distribution. The total figure comprises 60 final-year students, one doctor of philosophy, and three master’s degree students.
Special Assistant to the PAP Administrator, Igoniko Oduma, in a press statement quoted the Administrator, Dr Dennis Otuaro, declaring at Nile and Baze universities that the gesture was in fulfillment of his promise to the scholarship beneficiaries during his tour of partnering institutions in 2024.
According to him, his office recognised the usefulness of the mobile computing device to the students’ academic success, especially as they prepare to write their final year projects, thesis and dissertations.
Otuaro, who was represented by Ebikpolade Zorab, PAP’s acting head of administration, and Ebimene Jackson, secretary to the PAP boss, urged the scholars to make good use of the laptops and justify the objective behind the gesture.
“You are the first set of PAP scholarship students that are receiving these laptops, and we will also extend this (distribution) to other beneficiaries in other institutions that we are partnering with.
“I advise and encourage you to make good use of it for your academic progress. With these laptops, if you were to make a low grade in your project, we expect that you will score excellent grades because you now have portable computers to enhance your academic endeavours.”
Otuaro reiterated his leadership’s unwavering commitment to closing the human capital development gap in the Niger Delta, while working to ensure sustainable peace, security, stability and development in the region.
He further expressed appreciation to President Bola Tinubu for his strong support for the PAP and also backing the educational, vocational and other initiatives of the programme to achieve its mandate for the Niger Delta under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
Head of Education, PAP, Dr. Charles Ariye, had stated that scholarship beneficiaries had not received laptops in the past six years, adding that the office is interested in enhancing the digital literacy of its students.
The registrar of Nile University, David Olowola, and his counterpart at the Baze University, Professor Abiodun Adeniyi, during courtesy visits to them by the PAP officials, commended the Administrator for deeming it necessary to provide laptops to the scholarship students to facilitate their academics.
Some beneficiaries of the laptops, including the leaders of PAP scholarship students in the two universities, Eperetun Gboroteiye (Nile) and Pedro Timotubo (Baze), as well as Oyinlayefa Ogiriki, Mina Ikiba, Friday Dunu and Martha Tuwabere, thanked the PAP helmsman for the personal computers (PC), saying it would help them a great deal in their programmes.