Wednesday, February 26, 2025
HomeInformationHYPREP Awards 300 Postgraduate Scholarships to Ogoni Indigenes, Urges Peacebuilding

HYPREP Awards 300 Postgraduate Scholarships to Ogoni Indigenes, Urges Peacebuilding

The Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) has granted postgraduate scholarships to 300 Ogoni indigenes, emphasizing the need for peacebuilding and unity to foster sustainable development in the region.

The Project Coordinator of HYPREP, Prof. Nenibarini Zabbey, made this call during the cheque presentation ceremony held in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on Thursday. Addressing the scholarship recipients, Zabbey urged them to become ambassadors of peace and collaboration within Ogoniland, stressing that developmental progress can only be achieved in a stable and harmonious environment.

Commitment to Fairness and Transparency

Congratulating the awardees, Prof. Zabbey reassured them that the selection process was conducted with fairness, transparency, and inclusivity. He highlighted that the scholarship initiative was designed to uplift Ogoni youths by providing them with educational opportunities that would, in turn, contribute to the region’s development.

He encouraged beneficiaries to establish clusters aimed at fostering unity, collaboration, and peaceful coexistence within their communities. He stated, “I want to emphasize the importance of continuous civic responsibility and constructive engagement in Ogoni communities. Protecting HYPREP’s image, facilities, and project sites from negative influences is a civic duty for all Ogoni people.”

Zabbey further revealed that HYPREP is set to launch civic education and engagement programs to combat misinformation and other challenges affecting progress in the region.

“As a people, we cannot afford continuous division or discord; instead, we must focus on unity and collaboration. I urge all of you, especially the scholarship recipients, to form clusters that facilitate peacebuilding initiatives. Let these clusters become platforms for dialogue, reconciliation, innovation, and solutions to address the Ogoni community’s challenges,” he added.

Breakdown of the Scholarship Process

Providing insight into the selection process, Edward Baa, the Managing Director of Pa-Ed Multilinks Consulting—the firm facilitating the scholarship scheme—stated that the initiative witnessed significant participation from Ogoni indigenes. He disclosed that over 1,200 individuals attended the sensitization program, with 837 candidates officially registering for the scholarship. Out of these, 766 sat for the aptitude test, while 474 proceeded to the verification stage.

According to Baa, the success rate among the four local government areas (LGAs) varied. Khana recorded the highest success rate at 45 percent, followed by Gokana at 29 percent, Eleme at 15 percent, and Tai at 10 percent.

“The final selection of 300 beneficiaries was strategically conducted to ensure an even spread across the four LGAs. The scholarship scheme consists of 100 PhD candidates and 200 Master’s degree students,” he noted.

A Step Toward Sustainable Development

The scholarship initiative is part of HYPREP’s broader efforts to empower the Ogoni people through education and capacity-building. By investing in postgraduate education, the organization aims to equip young professionals with the knowledge and expertise necessary to drive change and contribute meaningfully to the development of Ogoniland.

HYPREP’s commitment to environmental restoration and human capital development aligns with its mandate to remediate the impact of hydrocarbon pollution in the region. Through initiatives like the postgraduate scholarship program, the organization continues to foster hope for a brighter and more sustainable future for the Ogoni people.

RELATED ARTICLES

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here
Captcha verification failed!
CAPTCHA user score failed. Please contact us!

- Advertisment -

Most Popular

Recent Comments

Opene Maryanne on Hello world!
Opene Maryanne on Hello world!
Opene Maryanne on Hello world!
google.com, pub-9997724993448343, DIRECT, f08c47fec0942fa0