The Presidential Amnesty Programme has deployed more than 140 beneficiaries to universities in the United Kingdom under its foreign postgraduate scholarship scheme, in what officials described as one of the programme’s largest academic deployments abroad.
At a pre-departure briefing in Abuja on Thursday, PAP Administrator Dr. Dennis Otuaro said the initiative was part of efforts to strengthen human capital development in the Niger Delta while supporting the Federal Government’s wider development agenda.
“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,” Otuaro said.
He explained that the fields of study were carefully chosen to reflect “industry-competitive and professional disciplines” that will make beneficiaries globally relevant. “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,” he added.
According to him, the initiative aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and his directive that PAP be taken directly to Niger Delta communities. “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,” Otuaro stated.
Beneficiaries were presented with brand new laptops to aid their research and were briefed on cultural adaptation, security, and academic expectations while abroad. Lectures were delivered by PAP officials and security experts, including the Provost Marshal of the Nigerian Army, Maj. Gen. M.O. Erebulu, and PAP’s Head of Education, Dr. Charles Ariye.
Otuaro urged the students to stay committed. “Shun distractions and take your studies seriously in order to justify the Federal Government’s investment in your education, and be good ambassadors of your families, communities, the Niger Delta and the country,” he advised.
Some of the beneficiaries expressed gratitude for the opportunity. Gift Gbaminido said, “This scholarship means a lot to me and my family. I plan to return and use the knowledge gained to support the growth of our region.” Another beneficiary, Amadimati Greatman, added, “We appreciate PAP for making this possible and we promise to contribute positively to Nigeria when we come back.”
Since its creation in 2009 to address militancy in the Niger Delta through disarmament and reintegration, PAP has shifted its focus to education, skills training, and empowerment projects as part of broader peacebuilding and development goals.
