National President of the Niger Delta Youth Network (NDYN), Scott Ogunseri, has appealed to President Bola Tinubu to increase the allocation and funding of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) to enable it accommodate more Niger Delta students and youths seeking educational and economic opportunities.
Key Highlights:
- NDYN President Scott Ogunseri urged Tinubu to increase PAP funding.
- He said more Niger Delta youths need access to scholarships.
- He also called for business grants and entrepreneurship support.
- Ogunseri said education and funding can create more jobs and entrepreneurs.
- He urged the government to expand PAP opportunities for thousands more youths.
In a letter he addressed to the president, he said the PAP scholarship initiative is a laudable intervention that is lives it is transforming lives, adding however, that the demand is far greater than the available scholarship slots.
“Thousands of Niger Delta students and youths genuinely desire to study, acquire professional qualifications, develop skills and contribute meaningfully to Nigeria’s development.
“Unfortunately, many are currently unable to access these opportunities because the available funding and scholarship slots cannot accommodate everyone.
“We therefore appeal to Mr. President to increase PAP funding significantly, so that the programme can expand its scholarship opportunities and accommodate far more students and youths,” he said.
Beyond the scholarships initiative, Ogunseri said the PAP should also be adequately funded to provide sustainable business grants and entrepreneurship support to Niger Delta youths and students.
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“Education without economic opportunity can leave many graduates struggling to translate their knowledge into sustainable livelihoods.
“A well-funded PAP can help bridge that gap by supporting young people with business grants, startup capital, vocational opportunities, entrepreneurship programmes and other forms of economic empowerment,” he argued.
“So many Niger Delta youths and students who have benefited from PAP scholarships and other interventions are currently doing exceptionally well in their various fields.
“They are professionals, entrepreneurs, skilled workers and contributors to society. Imagine what could happen if thousands more were given the same opportunity?
“We have seen the increasing efforts of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) to expand access to education for Nigerian youths. We believe PAP should equally be empowered to reach thousands more Niger Delta students and youths.”
He stated further that the PAP is an investment that would multiply, asserting that “when you educate a young person, you change a life. When you empower that young person with a business grant, you can create an employer.
“When you support thousands, you can create an entire generation of entrepreneurs, professionals and job creators. We don’t just want to be beneficiaries; we want to become contributors, employers, innovators and builders of a greater Nigeria.”
