600 scramble for PTDF overseas scholarship in south-south
Adewale Akintaro
Not less than than 600 persons are currently scrambling for the 2024 Petroleum Trust Development Fund, PTDF, overseas postgraduate scholarship in the South-south geopolitical zone.
This is even as the interview for the 2024 PTDF postgraduate scholarship has begun across the six geopolitical zones in the country, for Nigerians in engineering, geosciences, environmental sciences, etc.
PTDF General Manager, Projects Department, Mrs. Ifeoma Nwokike, speaking in Port Harcourt, said its postgraduate scholarships were well thought out to bridge the skill gap in the oil and gas industry.
Nwokike, although did not disclose how many candidates will be selected for the scholarships, however, announced that the skills gaps identified were in engineering, geosciences, environmental studies and renewable energy.
She said, “The overseas scholarship scheme is done by PTDF to bridge identified skills gap within the oil and gas industry. Our mandate is capacity building in the oil and gas industry, and we have been mandated to train Nigerians in the different skills and vocations in the oil and gas industry.
“So we give these scholarships to train Nigerians in top universities abroad so that they can come back and contribute to the oil and gas industry in the identified skills gap.
“The overseas scholarship scheme is well thought out and we have been able to fill the gaps over the years. We train the best of Nigerians and PTDF scholars are known everywhere in the world.
“600 candidates to be interviewed in this centre for the South-south, and it’s ongoing simultaneously across the six geopolitical zones.”
Also speaking, the Team Lead, Overseas Scholarship Interview Programme, Port Harcourt Centre, Mr. Ere Iyalla, who explained the criteria for selection, said the centre was interviewing both Masters and Ph.D. candidates.
Iyalla listed the criteria for the scholarships to include “good WAEC result, research proposal, statement of purpose and how it fits into the needs of the industry and professional memberships.”
Meanwhile, a prospective scholar identified as Caleb Nwaobasi said he was applying for an MSc degree in Civil Engineering and Management at the University of Glasgow, United Kingdom.
“I believe the process was fair and transparent, I believe there will be no backyard thing. This is my second time of applying; I applied two years ago, and I wasn’t lucky. This year I had to put more efforts and ensured all the relevant documents required are available so there will be no lapses.”
