The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has begun the payment of N50,000 monthly stipends to 10,000 indigenous youths from the Niger Delta under its Youths Internship Scheme.

The Director of Corporate Affairs at the NDDC, Mrs Seledi Thompson-Wakama, disclosed this to journalists in Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital, yesterday.

She explained that the beneficiaries would undergo practical, hands-on training across the various organisations for 12 months to develop critical skills.

Recall that during the inauguration of the scheme on July 31, 2024, Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, had announced the Federal Government’s approval of a N50,000 monthly stipend for the trainees.

According to Thompson-Wakama, the commission has successfully completed the selection process and has begun placing trainees in organisations to gain practical experience.

“Consequently, with the completion of these phases, the payment of the monthly stipends has also commenced,” she announced.

She revealed that the 10,000 beneficiaries were transparently selected from over 3.2 million youths who registered for the empowerment programme.

“This unprecedented response highlights the immense potential and aspirations of our youths to improve themselves.

“NDDC remains steadfast in ensuring this life-changing opportunity reaches the most deserving candidates, creating a lasting impact and paving the way for a brighter future,” she stated.

Thompson-Wakama explained that the scheme had enabled the commission to collate essential data, including the qualifications, skills, interests, needs, and employment status of the youths in the region.

The data, she explained, would guide the commission in designing programmes tailored to address the unique challenges faced by young people.

She disclosed that the NDDC partnered with KPMG, a global audit and consultancy firm, to enhance the commission’s corporate governance framework.

“KPMG has produced a Governance Advisory Report that will serve as a tool to support the commission’s transition from a transaction-based to a transformation-focussed policy,” Thompson-Wakama added.

The director commended the youths for their patience and cooperation during the selection process for the scheme.

The Ogoni Postgraduate Forum, has called on the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) to make its postgraduate scholarship scheme an annual event and also review the scheme, by increasing the number of beneficiaries.
The Convener of the Ogoni Postgraduate Forum, Mr Bariatonlo Ken Nnaane, who made the call in an address during the maiden award ceremony of the scholarship scheme in Port Harcourt, also enjoined HYPREP to jettison the age barrier in subsequent editions of the programme, and place emphasis on bursary awards in place of the scholarship grants.
According to him, giving bursary to the students is likely to absorb more beneficiaries than the scholarship scheme, given the Project Coordinator’s resolve to deepening inclusivity.
The forum also stressed the need for HYPREP to provide training and employment opportunities to its members, as well as support and strengthen research collaboration with the organisation, particularly those members carrying out research in Environmental Sciences.
Nnaane harped on the need for the project to provide support to the forum for its forthcoming Education Summit, saying it is an event billed to witness the presentation of awards to the Minister of Environment, Malam Balarabe Abbas Lawal and the Project Coordinator of HYPREP, Prof Neinibarini Zabbey.
He equally pleaded that provision be made for the leadership of the forum to monitor the subsequent editions of the scholarship grants, in order to provide feedback to members of the forum.
The convener thanked the Project Coordinator for the timely expansion of HYPREP’s livelihood programme to include scholarship support for Ogoni postgraduate students; and also the Minister of Environment for his kind approval of granting 300 Ogoni postgraduate students access to scholarship support.
He noted that Zabbey’s leadership at HYPREP is defined by excellence, saying, this groundbreaking scholarship initiative is conspicuously, a display of consistency, tact and trust in the policy thrust of his administration.
“We are proud to say it on good note that you have shown class in driving the Ogoni clean-up through several laudable programmes and projects, specifically the construction of the Centre of Excellence, the Ogoni Specialist Hospital, Ogoni water schemes, to mention but a few. To say that you have performed creditably is to say the least. Your timely response to several of the forum’s letters to the Project Coordination Office and press briefing seeking for the inclusion of Ogoni researchers in HYPREP’s livelihood programme was greeted with cheers.We endorse the credible and transparent selection process that gave rise to the forum’s 300 beneficiaries,” he said.
He further indicated that the forum would remain relentless in its commitment to collaboration with HYPREP, to unlock other livelihood deliverables to support Ogoni researchers.
Nnaane said it is on record that the Ogonis are not neophytes on the academic corridor, but noted that some of the no mean academic feats they have recorded, are attained in toil, tears and self-denial, “the single reason we had solicited for research support priority to alleviate our research burdens.”
While congratulating the scholarship beneficiaries on their success, the convener urged them to contribute meaningfully to the transformation, growth and development of Ogoniland, as well as “take the lead to protect this shared heritage.”
He, however, admonished the members of the forum who are yet to ben!efit from the scholarship scheme to be calm, noting that “time is a ceaseless continuum, with the events of life buried therein.”
According to him, other opportunities abound, it is a matter of patience, which is a virtue.
Nnaane also applauded the Project Coordinator’s virtue for adhering to the forum’s earlier plea for the credibility of the selection process.
“Indeed, we are satisfied with the rigorous but thorough process adopted by the verification team.We are also making a clarion call on other public-spirited individuals, government functionaries, government agencies and donor organisations to emulate this gesture,” he said.

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The Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) has presented scholarship grants to 300 Ogoni postgraduate students.
The scholarship recipients consist of100 Doctorate Degree students and 200 Masters Degree students studying in various recognised tertiary institutions in the country. While the PhD students smiled home with N1million each, the Masters Degree students got N500,000 each.
Presenting the scholarship grants to the beneficiaries, the Project Coordinator of HYPREP, Prof NeinibariniZabbey urged them to use the grants for the purpose they were given,and to use them to better their lives and the lives of others.
Speaking in his welcome address during the presentation ceremony at NAFOWA Multipurpose Hall in Port Harcourt, Zabbey indicated that all the scholarship recipients were selected on merit through a transparent process, and congratulated them on their success, saying, “your hard work and dedication have brought you here.”
“We celebrate the 2024 recipients of the Ogoni postgraduate students scholarship, an initiative that underscores the Federal Government’s commitment, through HYPREP, to the development of Ogoniland”, he said, contending that HYPREP, through the selection process, has once again demonstrated its commitment to fairness, transparency and inclusivity in implementing livelihood interventions in Ogoniland.
He noted that the integrity of the selection process for the scholarship has been a priority, as he could confidently say that the recipients have earned this recognition through merit.
“At HYPREP, we believe that education is not only the bedrock of personal growth but a transformative tool that can unlock new opportunities and create sustainable alternative sources of livelihood for oil-impacted communities in Ogoniland,” he said, stressing that Ogoni postgraduate students are critical stakeholders of the Ogoni community in the HYPREP project, and are integral to achieving HYPREP’s goals.
According to him, as researchers and leaders in their various fields, the scholarship recipients are agents of change, as they have the unique opportunity to contribute to HYPREP’s ongoing environmental remediation and livelihood restoration in Ogoniland.
He, however, urged the scholarship beneficiaries to contribute their technical expertise to promoting peace and development at the community level, saying discussing development without acknowledging the fundamental link between peace, progress and prosperity is impossible.
“As a people, we cannot afford continuous division or discord, instead, we must focus on unity and collaboration,” he intoned, and urged the scholarship recipients to form clusters that facilitate peace building initiatives, and let such clusters become platforms for dialogue, reconciliation, and innovation and solutions that address the Ogoni community’s challenges.
Zabbey noted that through their efforts, especially in collaboration with HYPREP, “we can build bridges of understanding, and reinforce the foundation for a clean environment, sustainable peace and development in Ogoniland.”
According to him, their role as postgraduate students is beyond the academia, because as peace builders, they must promote unity, collaboration and peaceful coexistence within Ogoni communities and beyond.
He further noted that the work and influence of the scholarship recipients would serve as bridges to further connect Ogoniland, fostering continuous dialogue, mutual understanding and collective activities in the public interest.
The Project Coordinator said the task before HYPREP is enormous but noted that the cooperation of the Ogoni community and the commitment of the project stakeholders have sustained progress in the implementation process, saying, with the progress made thus far in implementing the over 100 ongoing projects, a significant number of the projects would be completed this year.
He equally enjoined the beneficiaries to use the opportunity to make a difference, not just in their lives but also in the lives of others, describing them as not only the beneficiaries of the education grant but also the custodians of its vision.
He also urged them to carry this responsibility with pride, integrity and commitment to excellence, and pleaded with those who did not receive the scholarship grants this time to prepare for the next chance.
Zabbey further hinted that HYPREP would initiate civic education and constructive engagement initiatives in the coming weeks, to deepen understanding of community responsibilities and address challenges such as misinformation and other issues hindering progress.
In his goodwill message, the Gbenemene of Ancient Bangha Kingdom and spokesman of the Central Representative Advisory Committee(CRAC) of HYPREP, King T.Y. SuanuBaridam thanked HYPREP for the bold initiative, and congratulated the scholarship recipients on their success, describing the Ogonis as intelligent people, as it was never easy to select the best from the lot who participated during the selection process.
He stressed the need for people to understand and appreciate what HYPREP is doing in Ogoniland, and appealed to those indulging in campaign of calumny against HYPREP, by insinuating that nothing is happening, to desist forthwith.
He noted that the United Nations Environment Programme(UNEP) Report on Ogoni did not say anything about scholarship, “but we decided to add it because we are part and parcel of our people.”
According to him, the scholarship scheme and other programmes carried out by the project would address social vices in the area.
He, therefore, urged the scholarship recipients to always defend the project, and make good use of the opportunity.

Also speaking, the President of the Ogoni Association of Persons Living With Disabilities, Comrade Ngo Baridapdoo, also a PhD beneficiary of the scholarship, thanked the Project Coordinator for the gesture.
He noted with delight that scholarship is now in the HYPREP Gazette, contrary to what obtained in the past, as the Project Coordinator is now carrying along persons with special needs in his administration.
Also, the Convener of Ogoni Postgraduate Forum, MrBariatonlo Ken Nnaane equally expressed gratitude to the Minister of Environment, Malam Balarabe Abbas Lawal for giving approval to the scholarship scheme, and the Project Coordinator for expanding HYPREP’s livelihood programme to include the postgraduate scholarship scheme.

Donatus Ebi