Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), Dr Dennis Otuaro, has commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his unwavering support for the agency’s education-focused initiatives, particularly the recent departure of 161 Niger Delta beneficiaries for postgraduate studies in the United Kingdom.
Otuaro, who disclosed this in a statement by his special assistant on Media, Mr. Igoniko Oduma, described the deployment as a significant step toward closing the human capacity development gap in the Niger Delta region.
He said the successful mobilisation of the beneficiaries for the 2025/2026 academic year would not have been possible without the personal commitment and magnanimity of President Tinubu, whose Renewed Hope Agenda, he noted, continues to demonstrate genuine concern for the socio-economic upliftment of the Niger Delta people.
Otuaro said, „I am eternally grateful to His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for graciously supporting the Presidential Amnesty Programme. But for the President’s magnanimity, it would not have been possible for us to send 161 beneficiaries to universities in the UK. The number is huge and it aligns with his Renewed Hope Agenda and reflects his undying love for the Niger Delta.“
He also acknowledged the crucial role played by the national security adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, whose guidance and oversight, he said, provided strategic direction and ensured the success of the deployment process.
The PAP boss urged the beneficiaries to take full advantage of the opportunity, describing their scholarship as both a privilege and a responsibility. He called on them to complete their studies successfully and return to contribute to the development of the region and the country at large.
This is not just an academic pursuit. It is a nation-building mission. You are going as ambassadors of peace, development, and renewed hope,“ he added.
The PAP boss noted that the large-scale deployment aligns with the administration’s broader objective of investing in people and building a peaceful, economically vibrant Niger Delta.
According to him, sustained investment in human capital through formal education and vocational training remains the most effective way to address long-standing grievances and socio-economic disparities in the region.
In a political turn, Otuaro also called on Niger Deltans to support President Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027, citing what he described as the President’s “clear and practical demonstration of goodwill” towards the region. He said the time had come for the people of the Niger Delta to reciprocate by standing with a leader who has shown consistent commitment to their advancement.
„ Penultimate week, the Amnesty Office held pre-departure briefings in Abuja for two batches of the scholars, preparing them for academic and cultural integration into their respective host institutions in the UK,” he added.
Otuaro reaffirmed PAP’s commitment to expanding access to quality education and skills development as pillars of long-term peace and reintegration. He maintained that if the current scale of scholarship deployment is sustained, the Niger Delta’s long-standing developmental challenges could be gradually and permanently resolved.
He added that in recent years, the Presidential Amnesty Programme, created to reintegrate ex-agitators and promote peace in the oil-producing region, has pivoted towards education and vocational empowerment as tools for stability and inclusive growth.
