By Tracy Ohovwore.
The Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) has begun distributing laptops to final-year and postgraduate scholarship students at its partnering universities across Nigeria.
In a statement signed by the Special Assistant on Media to the Administrator of PAP, Igoniko Oduma, on Tuesday, April 8, 2024, the first phase of the distribution saw 64 scholarship beneficiaries receive their laptops at Nile University and Baze University.
This group includes 60 final-year students, one doctoral student, and three master’s degree candidates.
The distribution took place on Friday and Monday, with 25 students from Nile University and 39 from Baze University receiving the devices.
According to the statement, the PAP Administrator, Dr. Dennis Otuaro, who had previously promised this gesture during his 2024 tour of partnering institutions, highlighted the importance of laptops for students’ academic success.
“The office recognises the usefulness of mobile computing devices, especially for students preparing to write their final-year projects, theses, and dissertations,” Otuaro said.
At the presentation events, Otuaro was represented by the Acting Head of Administration, Ebikpolade Zorab, and the Secretary to the PAP Administrator, Ebimene Jackson, who urged students to make the most of the laptops, emphasizing that they were the first group to receive such devices.
Otuaro encouraged them to use the laptops to improve their academic performance.
“I advise and encourage you to make good use of it for your academic progress”.
”With these laptops, if you were to make a low grade on your project, we expect that you will now score excellent grades because you have portable computers to enhance your academic endeavors,” he advised.
Otuaro also reiterated his commitment to closing the human capital development gap in the Niger Delta and ensuring peace, security, and stability in the region.
He expressed gratitude to President Bola Tinubu for his ongoing support of PAP’s educational and vocational initiatives under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
The registrars of both Nile University and Baze University, David Olowola, and Professor Abiodun Adeniyi, respectively, commended PAP for providing the laptops and expressed their institutions’ desire to continue collaborating with the program. They emphasized the importance of developing skilled manpower for national development.
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