The Niger Delta Development Commission(NDDC) has reaffirmed its commitment to transparency and merit in the ongoing selection process for beneficiaries of its Foreign Postgraduate Scholarship Programme.
The commission said the scholarship exercise, currently at the oral interview stage in Port Harcourt, was being conducted without bias, compromise or political interference.
Managing Director of the NDDC, Samuel Ogbuku, gave the assurance during an assessment visit to the interview venue in Rivers State.
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Represented by the Director of Education, Health and Social Services, Dr Patience Ezugu, Ogbuku praised members of the interview panel and said the exercise had so far recorded no complaints from candidates.
According to him, beneficiaries of previous editions of the scholarship programme distinguished themselves academically and professionally after their studies abroad.
“The students who benefited from the scholarship scheme in previous years recorded distinctions in their various fields of study, and we have not heard of criminal or negative reports about them,” he said.
The Foreign Postgraduate Scholarship Programme is one of the NDDC’s major human capital development initiatives aimed at sponsoring qualified Niger Delta indigenes for postgraduate studies overseas.
The commission said the initiative was designed to equip beneficiaries with advanced knowledge and technical skills that would contribute to the development of the Niger Delta region.
Speaking during the exercise, the NDDC Director of Education, Dr Awele Chukwudifu, said successful candidates would be encouraged to return home after their studies and help improve their communities.
She also highlighted the transparency measures introduced into the process, especially during the computer-based testing stage.
“As soon as the computer-based exams are concluded, the scores pop up immediately for candidates to see. That shows transparency and integrity,” she stated.
Chairman of the interview panel and lecturer at Niger Delta University, Prof. Beleudanyo Fente, described the exercise as credible and competitive.
Fente said members of the panel were committed to ensuring only the most qualified candidates emerged successful.
“There is no room for compromise. We are determined to ensure a free and fair process,” he added.
The scholarship consultant, Chief Godson Ideozu, disclosed that 12,277 applications were received for the programme.
According to him, 5,986 candidates passed the computer-based test stage, while 2,492 applicants were shortlisted for the oral interview phase.
He added that successful candidates would later be invited for a departure briefing ahead of their overseas studies.
One of the applicants, Mrs Akindoyeni Oluwabukunmi, described the process as transparent and satisfactory.
She said the scholarship opportunity would help beneficiaries gain the knowledge needed to contribute meaningfully to the development of the Niger Delta.
The NDDC scholarship programme has remained one of the commission’s most visible educational interventions as concerns persist over unemployment, underdevelopment and skills shortages across the oil-producing region.
