By Aherhoke Amos Okioma
The Bayelsa state government is to send the second batch of scholars to the Lincoln University, Pennsylvania in the United States of America by September this year.
The government is also to sign a memorandum of understanding with the leadership of the Lincoln University as part of efforts to upgrade the capacity of lecturers and students at the state-owned Niger Delta University; Amassoma.This was contained in a press statement signed by the chief press secretary to the state governor, Daniel Iworiso – Markson.
Accordingly, the state scholarship board, the Vice Chancellor of the NDU and the Ministry of Education has been directed to work out the modalities of the MOU.
Governor Seriake Dickson announced this, when he met with the President of the Lincoln University, Dr. Robert Jennings and the beneficiaries of the Bayelsa State special scholarship programme, who are currently at the institution.
Accompanied by the Chairman of the state scholarship board, Evangelist Foster Ogola and Prof. Steve Azaiki, the governor said he was highly impressed with the academic performance and conduct of the students, which informed his decision to send another set of scholars to study at Lincoln.
His words: “As a result of your encouraging performance and the way you are comporting yourselves, government is encouraged to send another set of students in September this year.
“You all should aspire to the top of the academic pinnacle before coming back home. It is my desire that you get to the top of your academic career before you return home as leaders of tomorrow.
According to Governor Dickson, his administration is making huge investments in their educational advancement and expects them to contribute to the development of the state upon their return.
“It costs government about half a billion naira a year for the sponsorship of about 250 pupils while government spends over N5 billion for that of post graduate scholars. Excluding the school infrastructure, government is putting in place.”
Speaking, a lecturer at the Lincoln University, Prof. Lundy Connie expressed delight in the choice of Lincoln University, where the first President of the Republic of Nigeria, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe had been a scholar and urged the students to carry on his legacies.
In his remarks, Chairman of the state scholarship board, Evangelist, Foster Ogola, highlighted the statistics of government’s scholarship programme, stating that, over 900 students are currently on government’s scholarship programme both within and outside the country and a breakdown of the figure indicated that 250 students are at post primary school level, 150 Ph.D and 400 in the masters degree levels.
