Comply fully with your scholarship terms, PAP students

Sir: This is a useful piece of advice by the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) to students under its scholarship scheme to abide by the agreement and terms of conditions by which they were awarded the scholarships. The students concerned may recall that a statement to this effect was issued earlier from the office of the Interim Administrator of the programme, Col. Milland Dixon Dikio (rtd), who stated that most of the current scholarship beneficiaries were never part of the initial agitation and must therefore see their inclusion in the scheme as a privilege deserving of their best conduct.

Col Dikio had added that many of the disruptive students were the ones who had failed to take advantage of the verification exercises undertaken by the programme. According to the Interim Administrator, “No money will be paid to any student who is not verified.”

The statement, which was signed by his Senior Special Assistant on Media, explained that the students were those who were surreptitiously brought into the scheme without due process. However, because of compassion, they were given partial scholarships to cover only their tuition to enable them complete their studies.

This deal, considered a sweet one, was a goodwill gesture by the programme to which they all consented and signed.

The Interim Administrator had frowned at the recent disruption of learning activities and general disturbance of peace by some students at Gregory University in Uturu, Abia State and Igbinedion University. He has subsequently directed that disciplinary action be taken against the perpetrators who had violated the terms of their signed undertaking.

Meanwhile, the verification of students under the scholarship programme of the PAP is still ongoing and will be rounded off soon.

It will be recalled that the Presidential Amnesty Programme was designed for 30,000 ex-agitators and the impacted communities. The current management of the programme wants to ensure that this priority and focus is followed and effectively executed.

Ehime Alex, Plexus Media Interlinks.