Between 2016 and 2023, 60 students who received scholarships through the Presidential Amnesty Programme earned first-class degrees in a variety of competitive disciplines.
Dr. Charles Ariye, the PAP’s Head of Education, made this known in a statement on Thursday.
The first-class graduates excelled in a variety of subjects, including electrical/electronics engineering, computer science, civil engineering, accounting, law, petroleum engineering, physics, international relations, and biochemistry.
Ariye’s statement also praised Kemien Egbekun, who graduated with a Cumulative Grade Point Average of 4.77 (first class) in Law from Michael and Cecilia Ibru University, Delta State.
Oladapo Damilola and Toikumo Prosper, both PAP-sponsored students at the same university, graduated with second-class upper-division honours in Law.
The achievements of these students were celebrated at the university’s 6th convocation ceremony on September 6, 2024.
While the final scorecard for 2024 from other institutions is still awaited, Egbekun and her colleagues have added to the growing list of PAP scholarship recipients excelling in their studies.
Dr. Dennis Otuaro, Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, expressed delight and joy in the students’ outstanding performance.
He attributed their accomplishment to President Bola Tinubu’s unwavering support for long-term peace and development in the Niger Delta under his Renewed Hope Agenda.
Otuaro emphasised the importance of these achievements for the region, stating, “We are elated by the fantastic academic performances of the PAP scholarship scheme students. Achieving first-class and second-class upper division honors is no small feat. These successes validate the programme’s efforts and reaffirm its commitment to human capital development in the Niger Delta.”
He also emphasised that PAP was committed to its educational and vocational programs and expressed gratitude for President Tinubu’s continuing support for the program, which he believes will contribute to the peace, stability, and development of the Niger Delta region.