PAP scholarship scheme vehicle for better future

From Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa

The Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Dr Dennis Otuaro, has described the programme’s scholarship scheme as a major vehicle towards ensuring a better future for the Niger Delta.

He spoke at the opening ceremony of the fifth batch of the two-day ‘Leadership, Alternative Dispute Resolution and Mediation Training for PAP Stakeholders’ organised by the Office, in collaboration with the Alumni Association of the National Defence College (AANDEC) at the Nigerian Army War College.

Otuaro, who declared the workshop open, said the decision to deploy a large number of scholarship students to universities within and outside Nigeria was informed by the need to utilise formal education to build a secure future for the communities in the region.

According to him, his leadership focus on education is aimed at investing in the youths as a deliberate effort to equip them to be drivers of the planned prosperity, peace, stability and development of the Niger Delta in the years ahead.

He said: “We have seriously focused on education and the scholarship programme is a proper vehicle for a better tomorrow for our region. Between 2024 and 2025, we have deployed over 9,000 scholarship students to universities within and outside Nigeria; in-country deployment alone this year is 4,500.

“These are deliberate efforts we are taking to prepare our region for tomorrow. We need to prepare the next generation for the challenges of peace, socio-economic growth, development and security.

“If we don’t equip our youths today with education, tomorrow will not be assured. It is time to prepare for the rainy day, which is why we are deliberately investing in the education of our young ones.

“I believe that the scholarship beneficiaries will appreciate this opportunity that we are giving to them. For nearly two years, we have tried as much as possible to impact nearly all communities through the scholarship programme.”

Otuaro explained that the capacity-building workshop was organised to consolidate PAP’s peace-building process in the Niger Delta in alignment with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu.

He told the participants that they had a great role to play in the task of deepening the peace-building process because they are stakeholders and leaders in their own right.

The PAP helmsman said the time had come for stakeholders to unite strongly and resolve issues in the region without the involvement of outsiders.

He urged the participants to be role models for stability and peace ambassadors of President Tinubu in the Niger Delta.

Otuaro expressed appreciation to Tinubu for his steadfast support for the PAP, saying that the president was pleased with the existing peace and stability in the Niger Delta.

He also applauded the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, for his encouragement and strategic supervision of the PAP.