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Otuaro Cautions Against Payment Of Money For PAP Scholarship
The Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), Dr Dennis Otuaro, has warned PAP stakeholders allegedly collecting money from unsuspecting applicants for the programme’s ongoing scholarship application process for the 2025/2026 academic session to desist from such an act.
He gave the warning on Wednesday at the opening ceremony of the third batch of the three-day strategic Leadership, Alternative Dispute Resolution and Mediation Training organised by the PAP for its stakeholders in collaboration with the Nigerian Army Resource Centre, Abuja.
According to a statement issued by Mr Igoniko Oduma, his
Special Assistant on Media, Otuaro, who said “information at his disposal indicated that some unscrupulous characters were allegedly collecting money from the parents and guardians of potential scholarship beneficiaries with all kinds of assurances,” declared that the PAP scholarship application process for undergraduate and post-graduate programmes is free and money exchange for services was not allowed.
The PAP boss, while stressing that anybody caught trying to divert the laudable project for extortionist activities would be dealt with, also urged potential beneficiaries to resist payment of any amount of money to anybody for the scholarship.
READ ALSO: Otuaro Lauds Tinubu For Backing PAP’s Peacebuilding Process In Niger Delta
Otuaro urged those qualified to apply through PAP portal and await the response of the office assuring that the process would be fairly carried out.
He described the alleged dishonest act as regrettable and unacceptable as it taints the integrity of the scholarship application process.
The PAP boss stressed that the scholarship scheme was designed to increase the Niger Delta youths’ access to higher education and enhance human capital development in the area.
Otuaro restated his resolve to ensure a transparent process in the management of the scholarship and ensure that the purpose of the scheme is not derailed by unscrupulous individuals.
READ ALSO:King Ateke Breaks Silence On Rumoured Clash With PAP Boss, Otuaro
He assured that the PAP would not allow anyone to compromise the integrity of the scholarship application process.
He said, “I have received reports alleging some stakeholders collect money from applicants, parents and guardians with fake promises concerning the ongoing scholarship application process for the 2025/2026 academic year.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the scholarship application process is free. No one should collect money from anybody; nobody should encourage someone to collect or give money to anybody for the scholarship exercise. It is free.
“The scholarship programme is a deliberate scheme for our people for a better tomorrow, it is not for our today. My leadership is committed to ensuring transparency and accountability even in the management of the scholarship award process.
“Those engaged in the alleged bad act should stop because I will not allow anyone to compromise the integrity of the application process. I urge all stakeholders to help discourage the collection of money for the scholarship.
“We will take drastic steps against any one attempting to divert the opportunity of the scheme to swindle innocent people.”
Otuaro told the participants that the workshop was aimed at deepening their understanding of issues around the theme, and equip them to perform their leadership role better as PAP’s peace ambassadors around their communities and indeed the Niger Delta.
“You are, in fact, also peace ambassadors of His Excellency, President Bola Tinubu, GCFR. Therefore, you are expected to deploy the knowledge you would gain from this training to strengthen the ongoing peacebuilding process of PAP because the development of the region is in the priority agenda of the President,” he said.
The PAP boss, while declaring the workshop open, urged the participants to take the entire exercise seriously in order for the objectives to be achieved in the interest of the region’s peace, stability and development based on the President’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
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JUST IN: Ooni Visits Olubadan-designate Ladoja In Ibadan
The Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi, on Sunday, paid a visit to the Olubadan designate, Rashidi Ladoja, at his Bodija private residence in Ibadan, Oyo State.
The PUNCH reports that Oba Ladoja will be installed as the 44th Olubadan on Friday, September 26, 2025, following the demise of the 43rd Olubadan, Oba Owolabi Olakulehin, who joined his ancestors on Monday, July 7, 2025, at the age of 90 years.
READ ALSO:Ladoja Coronation Date As 44th Olubadan Revealed
The two paramount rulers are currently exchanging pleasantries.
Details later…
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JUST IN: FG Revokes 1,263 Mineral Licenses Over Unpaid Fees
The Federal Government through the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development has announced a fresh revocation of not less than 1,263 mineral licenses.
These licenses, which will now be deleted from the Electronic Mining Cadastral System portal of the Nigerian Mining Cadastral Office, include 584 exploration licenses, 65 mining leases, 144 quarry licenses, and 470 small-scale mining leases.
The minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, gave the revocation announcement in a statement issued by his special assistant on Media, Segun Tomori, on Sunday in Abuja.
The minister explained that the directive was issued due to the companies’ failure to comply with the requirement of paying their annual service fees.
The latest revocation brings the total mineral titles revoked under the current administration to 3, 794 including,619 mineral titles revoked for defaulting in paying annual service fees and 912 for dormancy last year.
READ ALSO:FG Introduces Chinese Language Into School Curriculum
By opening up the areas formerly covered by these licenses, the revocation is expected to spur fresh applications by investors looking for fresh opportunities.
The statement read, “Not less than 1,263 mineral licenses will be deleted from the portal of the Electronic Mining Cadastral system of the Nigerian Mining Cadastral Office, MCO, following their revocation by the Federal Government.
“These include 584 exploration licenses, 65 mining leases, 144 quarry licenses, and 470 small-scale mining leases.”
Approving the revocation following the recommendation of the MCO, the Minister said applying the law to keep speculators and unserious investors away from the mining sector would make way for diligent investors and grow the sector.
“The era of obtaining licences and keeping them in drawers for the highest bidder, while financially capable and industrious businessmen are complaining of access to good sites, is over.
READ ALSO:FG Gives Mining Firms Deadline For Community Agreements
“The annual service fee is the minimum evidence that you are interested in mining. You don’t have to wait for us to revoke the license because the law allows you to return the license if you change your mind,” the minister said.
He warned that the revocation does not mean the Federal Government has pardoned the annual service debt owed by licensees, adding that the list will be forwarded to the Economic & Financial Crimes Commission to ensure that debtors pay or face the wrath of the law.
“This is to encourage due diligence and emphasise the consequences of inundating the license application processes with speculative activities.”
In the recommendation to the minister, the Director-General of the MCO, Simon Nkom, disclosed that there were 1,957 initial defaulters when the MCO published the intention to revoke licences in the Federal Government Gazette on June 19, 2025.
He informed the minister that the gazette was distributed to MCO offices nationwide to sensitise licencees and encourage them to comply within 30 days in compliance with the Minerals and Mining Act 2007 and relevant regulations.
READ ALSO:FG Gazettes New Tax Reform Laws
He observed that the delay in the final recommendation was due to complaints of several licensees who claimed to have paid to the Federal Government through Remita and had to be reconciled.
Earlier this month, the DG MCO had hinted that more mining licences would be revoked as part of ongoing efforts to sanitise the solid minerals sector and protect investors from fraudsters.
According to Nkom, the clean-up exercise, which covers expired, speculative, and inactive titles, is necessary to make room for genuine investors and ensure compliance with the law.
This is part of ongoing efforts at sanitising the sector since the inception of the Tinubu administration, and the salutary effects of the reforms are massive and manifest despite the attempts to push back by defaulters and their agents.
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