The Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) has begun the second phase of laptop distribution to its scholarship beneficiaries across Nigerian universities for the 2024/2025 academic session.
The initiative, directed by the PAP Administrator, Dr. Dennis Otuaro, is part of the administration’s ongoing commitment to support learning, research, and technological empowerment among Niger Delta youths under the scholarship scheme.
The exercise follows the first phase carried out between April and May 2025, during which over 663 final-year scholarship beneficiaries received laptops to aid their academic work. In that phase, the PAP also conducted a comprehensive physical verification and orientation programme for beneficiaries resuming for the 2024/2025 academic year, ensuring transparency and proper documentation of recipients.
National Chairman of the Presidential Amnesty Programme Phase II, Salvation Rufus Ibena Rufus, commended Dr. Otuaro for his continued dedication to the development of Niger Delta youths. He praised the Administrator for demonstrating love and commitment to scholarship beneficiaries and for introducing laudable reforms aimed at strengthening the programme’s impact. Rufus described Otuaro’s leadership as people-oriented and urged students benefiting from the initiative to be good ambassadors of the Niger Delta in their respective institutions of learning.
Speaking during the second phase of the laptop distribution, Dr. Otuaro reaffirmed that the decision to provide the devices stemmed from their importance to students’ academic success. He emphasized that laptops are vital tools for research, learning, and innovation in today’s academic environment. According to him, the gesture fulfills a promise he made to students during his 2024 visit to universities partnering with the PAP across the country.
Dr. Otuaro expressed optimism that the mobile computing devices would significantly enhance the learning experience of the beneficiaries. He noted that access to digital tools would allow the students to compete favorably with their peers globally while ensuring they meet the academic standards required for personal and professional growth. He also urged the beneficiaries to make judicious use of the laptops and uphold excellence in their studies, reminding them that the Federal Government’s investment in their education must be justified through hard work and dedication.
The PAP Administrator reiterated the programme’s unwavering commitment to providing consistent support for all scholarship beneficiaries. He assured that under his leadership, the PAP would continue implementing initiatives designed to promote education, skill acquisition, and socio-economic empowerment in the Niger Delta.
Otuaro further highlighted that the PAP’s activities are in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritizes human capital development and regional inclusion. He thanked President Tinubu for his steadfast support for the programme, describing the President’s interest in the Niger Delta as a clear demonstration of his desire to bridge developmental gaps and foster sustainable peace in the region.
He encouraged Niger Delta youths to reciprocate the government’s goodwill by remaining law-abiding, focused, and supportive of national initiatives aimed at their progress. According to him, such collaboration would strengthen trust between the government and the people while accelerating development across the region.
Salvation Ibena Rufus also called on the scholarship beneficiaries to take their studies seriously and to represent the Niger Delta positively. He reminded them that their achievements in academics and character would reflect on the entire region. He expressed confidence that with the ongoing reforms and continued support from the PAP, the programme would record more success stories in the near future.
Dr. Otuaro concluded by assuring both the President and the people of the Niger Delta that the PAP would continue to build on its achievements while consolidating peace, stability, and progress across the region. He reaffirmed his administration’s dedication to empowering young people through education and technology, which he described as key drivers of long-term regional development and national growth.
