By Enyichukwu Enemanna
Office of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) office has refuted claims that it has stopped the sponsorship of candidates under its education scholarship scheme.
The PAP office in a statement issued on Saturday, was responding to media reports suggesting that the sponsorship of the programme has been discontinued.
“All current PAP scholarship beneficiaries (i.e. onshore and offshore) remain bonafide delegates of the programme and shall continue to benefit from approved privileges associated with their respective scholarship awards”, the statement signed by Flight Lieutenant Terry Ekugbene Ajobena (rtd), on behalf of the PAP Interim Administrator Major General Barry Ndiomu (rtd).
Under the scholarship scheme, persons from the impacted communities from oil activities and ex-agitators are trained in various skills and sponsored in local and foreign tertiary institutions.
The aim is to mitigate the suffering of the people of the region arising from years of oil exploration that has brought about environmental degradation, destruction of farmland and aquatic life which came with adverse effect on the people’s economy.
PAP said it will put on hold the enrollment of fresh beneficiaries due to accumulated debts yet to be settled arising from this programme.
“However, due to the current education scholarship debts and outstanding commitments, the PAP has suspended award of fresh scholarships until these obligations are cleared”, the statement further stated.
