Rivers Special Overseas Scholarship Scheme Gulps N5.5bn

The Rivers State Government’s Special Overseas Programme for 2011 Special Overseas Scholarship programme is to gulp the sum of N5.5billion.

The Executive Director of the Rivers State Sustainable Development Agency (RSSDA), Mr. Noble Pepple, who disclosed this in an interview with newsmen in Port Harcourt also said that over 1,500 students are already studying in eight countries under the scholarship scheme.

Mr. Pepple also said that by next year, 300 Rivers sons and daughters who are currently undergoing training in Information, Communication and Technology (ICT) overseas will return to the country.

The Executive Director said that the Agency was working hard to ensure that the Workmanship Technical Training Centre (WTTC) Bori commence its full academic programmes next year.

According to him, the centre which is in affiliation with the Bonny Vocational Centre (BVC) and the Hybrid College, United Kingdom will train Rivers sons and daughters  on skills, leading to the award of the London City and Guild certificates.  He described the programmes as a silent revolution that will surely have future positive impart on the state. “ Like Chief Obafemi Awolowo and Diette Spiff, the current governor is a man who sees far into the future.” The programme is the Governor’s Vision of creating a solid manpower base for the state” he said. The RSSDA Executive Director said that time had come for youths of Rivers State to take advantage of the various opportunities provided by the governor through the Rivers State Sustainable Development Agency (RSSDA) to improve themselves. Mr. Pepple used the occasion to commend the management of Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria (SPDC) and Total Nigeria Ltd for their various levels of support.