By Tina Amanda
The Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) has begun selection interview exercises for two thousand two hundred and eighty-eighty (2,288) applicants for overseas postgraduate scholarships in the South-South geopolitical zone.
The screening selection continues the application process, which commenced in February 2023, through publications in some national newspapers nationwide inviting qualified Nigerians to apply.
According to PTDF, the interview selection exercise would be transparent, as previous scholars could attest to the Fund’s transparency in the selection process.
In an interview, the PTDF Team Lead, Overseas Scholarship Scheme in Port Harcourt, Mr Sobomabo West, said the exercise for shortlisted candidates in the two categories (MSc/PhD) began on Monday, 19 June to 23 June, 2023, across the six designated centres in the six geopolitical zones.
He said the University of Port Harcourt Institute of Petroleum Studies was chosen as the centre for the exercise in the South-South, while noting that six hundred and forty-seven (647) applicants would be interviewed for PhD category, one thousand six hundred and forty-one (1,641) would be interviewed for the MSC category in the South-South geopolitical zone.
“The PTDF Overseas Scholarship Scheme has, over the years, succeeded in producing well-trained, competent and skilled professional manpower for the various segments of the oil and gas industry.
“The training areas include Engineering, Geology, Environmental Studies, Sciences, Management, Law, Accounting, Renewable Energy, Information Technology and offshore-related courses.
“We had officials from the Federal Character Commission, and I can assure you that we are transparent in the selection process. We have qualified panellists to look at every applicant’s case, and all these we do through newspaper publication.
“We have scholars who can attest to our transparency in the process. The shortlisted candidates will be published, and anyone can go through that list to verify if they are not the same people who went through all these processes.”
While speaking, one of the panellists and Postgraduate Coordinator, IPS, Dr Joseph Amieibibiama said PTDF is the best scholarship in the world, incomparable with other scholarships, even commonwealth scholarships.
Amieibibiama, who is also a beneficiary of PTDF overseas scholarship, urged the prospective candidates to work hard since the process was highly competitive and advised potential beneficiaries to ensure to return to develop Nigeria after their studies.
“They should work hard; it’s a rigorous and highly competitive process. When I got mine, only two were selected from Rivers State; the process is not biased, and you do not need to know somebody to get the scholarship.
“Anyone selected for this scholarship should go abroad to study, come back to Nigeria and develop the country.”
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