The Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Dr Dennis Otuaro, has said that the increase in scholarship opportunities for Niger Delta youths shows that President Bola Tinubu’s strategy for development, economic growth and sustainable peace in the region is working. Otuaro spoke on Saturday during a town hall meeting with PAP stakeholders and Niger Deltans living in Lagos, hosted by Niger Delta activist and Founder of the Ijaw Monitoring Group, Chief Joseph Eva. The event drew several key stakeholders, including Prince Tonye Harry, Prof Dauphin Moro, Engr Titus Posibi, Chief Amarian Benedicta, Chief Ogbogbo, Evangelist Agboro, Chief Emmanuel Fiawe, Robert Fiawe, Elder Regent Youmor, Mrs RoseMary Aluko and Comrade Owen Naphatin.
Otuaro told the gathering that the in-country scholarship deployment under the PAP rose from 3800 in the 2024/2025 academic year to 3900 in 2025/2026, while foreign scholarships stood at about 200. He said the rise in these figures reflects the strong support of President Tinubu and the National Security Adviser, who have backed the PAP’s expansion in education, vocational training and peacebuilding. According to him, the President’s administration has restored peace in the region and is delivering on promises related to human capacity development and infrastructure growth.
He said, “One of the things you must know about His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR, is that he is very strategic and systematic in his approach to resolving issues of development, socio-economic growth, security and sustainable peace in our region, the Niger Delta. You all can see how Mr President’s deliberate approach is producing positive results in our region. There is no doubt that Mr President’s strategy is working for the Niger Delta.”
Otuaro explained that the expansion of the scholarship scheme was a direct result of the President’s massive backing. He said, “Because of His Excellency’s massive backing, we have been able to expand the programme’s scholarship scheme, and it is our strong hope that more students of indigent backgrounds from impacted communities will benefit from the initiative. We will also continue to strengthen our policy of inclusivity.”
He assured stakeholders that the PAP would sustain its focus on giving more youths access to higher education and skills needed for self-reliance and nation building. He stressed that human resource development remains essential to the region’s socio-economic growth and long-term security. While thanking the President for continuous support, he urged Niger Deltans to support Tinubu, adding that the region would benefit even more after the President’s 2027 reelection. “I urge you and all the people of the Niger Delta to continue to support the administration of Mr President because we are confident that, judging from the many good things he is doing in our region, he will do even much more for us after his reelection in 2027,” he said.
The host, Chief Joseph Eva, praised Otuaro’s leadership and said he had full confidence in his ability to drive meaningful development. “I am not surprised because I have known Dr Dennis Otuaro very closely for many years, and the values he stands for. He is a very focused person. Indeed, Dr Otuaro has achieved a lot in human capital development, vocational skills and peacebuilding process for our region. We have confidence in his leadership, vision, and dedication to regional development,” he said.
The stakeholders ended the meeting by presenting Otuaro with the Best Iconic Administrator Award in recognition of his achievements and contributions to peace, education and development in the Niger Delta.
