Tinubu to Sustain Presidential Amnesty Programme Funding as 8,205 Niger Delta Scholars Benefit — FG Assures in London
The Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris, has assured stakeholders in the Niger Delta that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will sustain funding for the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), reinforcing its mandate to drive socio-economic growth and long-term stability across the region and Nigeria at large.
The Minister, PulseNets learnt, made this known during a PAP interactive session with foreign scholarship beneficiaries in London. The engagement was organised by the PAP Administrator, Dr Dennis Brutu Otuaro, as part of activities surrounding President Tinubu’s state visit to the United Kingdom on Wednesday.
PulseNets reported that beneficiaries of the PAP foreign scholarship scheme presented an Award of Appreciation to the President in recognition of his sustained support for the initiative. The programme has enabled extensive onshore and offshore academic placements for beneficiaries pursuing undergraduate and postgraduate studies.
Dignitaries at the session included the Minister of State for Petroleum, Heineken Lokpobiri; the Special Assistant on Diaspora Matters to the Delta State Governor, Gloria Aghaghovia; alongside representatives of the Ijaw People’s Association and other Niger Delta stakeholders.
Receiving the award on behalf of the President, Idris told PulseNets that the PAP under Otuaro’s leadership is actively “building a community of intellectuals,” stressing the need for continued federal backing given its transformative impact on the region’s narrative.
Addressing the beneficiaries, the Minister stated:
“At this moment that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is paying a state visit to the United Kingdom, the first of its kind in nearly four decades, this (interactive session) is one side event that the President is really proud of.
“I have received the plaque from you on behalf of the President. I am going to deliver this plaque to him. I am going to tell him what I have seen here, and that there is the need for him to continue to support the Presidential Amnesty Programme.
“All of you young men and women that are benefiting from the Presidential Amnesty Programme here in the UK are over 223, undergoing various undergraduate and post-graduate studies; this is very heartwarming.
“This is a programme that is producing a community of intellectuals that are not only interested in the development of the Niger Delta, but also Nigeria as a whole.”
He further commended Otuaro for what he described as impactful leadership and urged beneficiaries to represent Nigeria positively while pursuing academic excellence abroad.
The Minister added:
“I am sure President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will be proud to see all of you here participating proudly, and benefiting from the programme that is aimed towards not just the restoration of the Niger Delta region, but also having to close the human capital development gap that we so dearly need in our dear country.
“Mr President is committed to ensuring that all parts of Nigeria are benefiting from the dividends of democracy, and for the prosperity that he promised Nigerians when he took office.”
In his goodwill remarks, Senator Lokpobiri told PulseNets that the President has consistently demonstrated “love for Ijaw and the Niger Delta people,” while also applauding Otuaro’s stewardship of the programme.
He maintained that Nigeria remains one of the safest countries globally and noted that the Niger Delta has provided the stability required for the oil and gas sector since the current administration assumed office. He also cautioned students against political misinformation ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Speaking at the event, Otuaro, PulseNets learnt, reaffirmed that President Tinubu has consistently supported the programme, including reforms aimed at repositioning it for improved service delivery.
He highlighted that recent achievements, including the deployment of 8,205 scholarship beneficiaries within two years, were made possible through presidential backing.
Otuaro stated:
“Since coming to power, our dear President has embraced the programme wholly and expanded it, thereby providing opportunities for many young men and women from the Niger Delta to study in institutions of higher learning at both home and abroad.
“The programme has, over the years, engendered sustainable peace, security and development in the Niger Delta as well as served as a key catalyst for the socio-economic transformation of the region.
“We are therefore firmly committed to creating more opportunities for our youths to have greater access to higher education. The overriding objective, like I have stated, is to empower our youths with the requisite education and knowledge that will enable them compete favourably with their peers, and explore the job market to be gainfully engaged.”
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He also acknowledged the supervisory role of the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, in ensuring the programme aligns with the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Otuaro further called on Niger Delta stakeholders to support President Tinubu’s re-election bid, citing his administration’s continued commitment to regional development.
