The Niger Delta Development Commission has restated its commitment to transparency and fairness in selecting beneficiaries for its Foreign Postgraduate Scholarship Programme meant for people of the Niger Delta.
NDDC Managing Director, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, stated this during an assessment visit to the venue of the postgraduate scholarship interviews in Port Harcourt. He assured that the process was free from bias, prejudice and compromise.
Ogbuku, represented by the NDDC Director of Education, Health and Social Services, Dr Patience Ezugu, thanked the interview panel for doing a good job. He noted that there were no complaints from candidates and that the exercise was carried out smoothly.
“The students who benefited from the scholarship scheme in the previous years had distinctions in their various fields of study, and we have not heard of criminal or any negative reports about them,” he said.
The NDDC Director of Education, Dr Awele Chukwudifu, said successful candidates would be encouraged to return home and use what they had learnt to help improve the region. She expressed appreciation for the Commission’s passion for the capacity development of Niger Deltans.
“As soon as the computer-based exams are concluded, the scores pop up, which ensures every candidate sees their scores immediately, which shows transparency and integrity,” she noted.
The Chairman of the interview panel, Prof. Beleudanyo Fente from the Niger Delta University in Bayelsa State, lauded the NDDC for providing an educational platform to improve the lives of the region’s indigenes. He said his team ensured the workflow was efficient to conduct a free and fair interview and select the best candidates.
He stated that only the best would get the scholarship, as there was no room for compromise. He promised that the interview panel would ensure the process was transparent and that the most suitable and qualified candidates were selected.
The consultant for the scholarship programme, Chief Godson Ideozu, said the process was dependable, as there had been no issues since the programme’s commencement. He observed that 12,277 candidates applied for the scholarship, of whom 5,986 passed the computer-based test, and 2,492 were selected for the oral interview. Those who succeed in the oral interview would be invited for a departure briefing in due course.
One of the candidates, Mrs Akindoyeni Oluwabukunmi, said the process was transparent and satisfactory, noting that the scholarship would enable her to enhance her knowledge to contribute to the development of the Niger Delta region. She thanked the NDDC for providing an avenue for the less privileged to further their academic pursuits.
The NDDC Foreign Postgraduate Scholarship Programme was introduced to support human capital development in the Niger Delta by sponsoring qualified candidates for postgraduate studies abroad. The initiative aims to equip beneficiaries with advanced knowledge and skills to contribute to the socio-economic development of the region.
