A lecturer in the University of Port Harcourt, Dr. Joseph Amiebibama, has lauded the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) for sustaining it’s overseas scholarship scheme.
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 areas of training include Engineering, Geology, Environmental Studies, Sciences, Management, Law, Accounting, Renewable Energy, Information Technology and offshore related courses.
Amiebibama, spoke to newsmen in Port Harcourt, on the sidelines of the ongoing physical oral interview exercise for shortlisted candidates in the Masters Degree (M.Sc) and Doctorate Degree (PhD) categories of the exercise.
The university don, who is also a beneficiary of the scheme, said the PTDF scholarship scheme has remained the best in the world.
He said: “PTDF should continue this practice. I must tell you, as at the time I got the scholarship, PTDF is the best scholarship in the world as at the time I got it. You can compare it to Commonwealth and other scholarships.
“PTDF has really done well. It is something that is laudable, I must tell you. All I need to advise them is that they should continue to improve on the scholarship.
“I thinking when we went for the scholarship, it was only UK, but now, they have several countries where scholars can go, which is also very good. They have really expanded the scope. I will always advise that they choose the right institutions to send the students to.
“I remember because of PTDF, many universities that do not have the expertise floated oil and gas programmes, but we know the universities that have the capacity to do the programmes. If PTDF can target those schools and send their candidates to those schools, they will always be applauded for that.”