••• We're complementing Tinubu's development agenda for Niger Delta — Otuaro

The Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) has deployed over 140 beneficiaries it awarded scholarships for post-graduate studies across universities in the United Kingdom.

Speaking at the pre-departure briefing/orientation ceremony for the foreign scholarship beneficiaries at the PAP headquarters in Abuja, on Thursday, the Administrator, Dr Dennis Otuaro, expressed the hope that they would add value to the socio-economic advancement of the Niger Delta and indeed Nigeria when they complete their studies.

At the event, brand new laptops were distributed to the post-graduate scholarship beneficiaries aimed at enhancing their studies and research.

Otuaro said the human resource base of the Niger Delta would be enriched when they finished their programmes, and also contribute to efforts at reducing the region's human capital development gap.

He stressed that the massive deployment under the PAP's formal education component complemented President Bola Tinubu's Renewed Hope Agenda for the region.

Otuaro explained that the beneficiaries were deployed for studies in industry-competitive and professional disciplines, noting that "with the knowledge they will acquire, they will contribute to the development of the region and the nation in general."

The PAP boss further said, "If you put the number of beneficiaries we are deploying today together, over 140, all of them are going for post-graduate studies in universities in the United Kingdom.

"We are confident that when they complete their studies and return, they will add value to the socio-economic advancement of the Niger Delta, and the human capacity resource of the region will be enriched. They will add value to our communities, the region, and the nation.

"What we are doing today is a deliberate effort to take the development agenda of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR, to the people in the communities of the Niger Delta.

"When the President appointed me last year, he gave me a mandate and that is to take this programme to the people. That is what we are doing.

"We have other aspects of the PAP. However, this foreign post-graduate scholarship deployment takes cognizance of professional areas that are industry-competitive. We also deploy beneficiaries for other programmes in-country."

He, therefore, advised them to shun distractions and take their studies seriously in order to justify the Federal Government's investment in their education, and be good ambassadors of their families, communities, the Niger Delta and the country.

Also, the Technical Assistant to the PAP Administrator, Edgar Daniel; the Provost Marshal, Nigerian Army, Maj. Gen. M.O Erebulu; and the Head of PAP's Education Department, Dr Charles Ariye delivered talks on cultural/social dynamics of studying in the UK and Europe, the diplomatic and security implications of studying abroad, and the academic dynamics of studying in the UK, respectively, to guide the beneficiaries' conduct.

Some of the beneficiaries, including Gift Gbaminido and Amadimati Greatman, thanked the PAP Administrator for awarding them post-graduate scholarships to study abroad, and pledged to make good use of the opportunity.

• Photo Caption: Dr Otuaro, middle in suit, in a group photograph with the beneficiaries awarded post-graduate scholarships by the PAP for studies across universities in the UK during their pre-departure briefing at the Amnesty Programme head office, Abuja, on Thursday, 11th September, 2025. Photo Credit: PAP.