The Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), Dr Dennis Otuaro, has urged beneficiaries of the programme’s foreign post-graduate scholarship to justify the Federal Government’s investment in their education by excelling in their studies and contributing to national development on their return.

Otuaro gave the charge on Thursday during a pre-departure briefing for 12 PAP foreign post-graduate scholarship beneficiaries bound for universities in the United Kingdom. The briefing, held at the PAP headquarters in Abuja, included sessions on social and cultural relations in the UK, academic expectations, scholarship administration, and the presentation of laptops to the scholars to support their research and thesis work.

He said the beneficiaries were being sent out at a time when President Bola Tinubu and the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) were paying close attention to the outcomes of the programme’s foreign scholarship component.

“Today, we are sending you outside the country for post-graduate programmes in the United Kingdom and we believe that we are sending out our best. There should be no room for laxity, put in your best and make the best for yourselves.

We are careful in the selection process because we don’t want anybody to abuse the system under my watch,” Otuaro said.

He noted that some observers had assumed that foreign scholarship deployments under the PAP had ended, but said the current administration had sustained and expanded the initiative.

“We give credit to His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR. Some people had thought that foreign scholarships deployments would no longer be possible, but the President likes what we have been doing since we started giving out foreign scholarships to beneficiaries,” he said.

Otuaro added that the programme enjoys the backing of the Office of the National Security Adviser, which supervises the PAP. “Also, the Office of the National Security Adviser that supervises this Programme and the NSA himself, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu appreciate it. That is the feedback we are getting. They are working tirelessly to promote the socio-economic and political advancement of the Niger Delta and indeed Nigeria,” he said.

He warned the scholars against actions that could undermine the confidence reposed in them by the Federal Government and stakeholders in the Niger Delta. “So I don’t want you to disappoint the President over what he is so happy about.

Don’t disappoint the Presidential Amnesty Programme and the Niger Delta because stakeholders also believe that what we are doing – awarding scholarships to qualified beneficiaries – is the best because the legacy will manifest in some years to come,” Otuaro said.

According to him, the selected courses were deliberately chosen to align with industry needs and development priorities. “When you conclude your programmes and return home, you will also contribute your quota to the development of the region and the country. So, I want you to do well in your studies. We deliberately selected the programmes of study; they are industry-tailored. I am confident that all of you will do well,” he said.

Otuaro further stated that strong academic performance could open doors for continued support. “We will continue to work hard to ensure that we build critical manpower for the Niger Delta and the nation. When you do well, others will be encouraged, the President and the NSA will also be encouraged. You are ambassadors of the President. Everyone in the Niger Delta knows that the President and the NSA are strongly supporting this Programme,” he said.

“For those of you who are going for MSc, if you do well and qualify for PhD, there is nothing stopping us from supporting your academic progress. Work hard and be diligent,” he added.

He reassured Niger Delta stakeholders of his administration’s commitment to transparency and decisions taken in the interest of the region and the country.

Some of the beneficiaries, including Arafiena Shekinah Nkem, who will study MSc Project Management at the University of Liverpool, and Omokaro Rick Efosa, admitted for MSc Supply Chain and Logistics Management at Coventry University, thanked President Tinubu, the National Security Adviser, and the PAP leadership for the opportunity, pledging to apply themselves fully to their studies.