11 Presidential Amnesty students bagged first class at Idahosa Varsity

• Gbaramatu leads with 8, Bayelsa 2, Rivers 1

Eleven, out of 60 students who bagged first class honour at the 13th convocation ceremony of Bensons Idahosa University, BIU, Benin city are students sponsored by the Presidential Amnesty Programme, GbaramatuVoice can authoritatively report.

The convocation held at the weekend, Gbaramatu kingdom in Delta State produced eight out of the 11 first class honours of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, while Bayelsa and Rivers states produced two and one respectively.

Graduants from Gbaramatu kingdom who were awarded first class include: Febaide Mabel Ebiere and Igare Peter, department of Banking and Finance; Tuwayirin Denbofa Sonia, department of Computer Science; Guwor Williams Egbedetimi, Diofelo Manfred, Igare Paul, Ikokokiri. T. Blessing, Ebitimi Sandra Erepade, all from the department of Political Science.

Others from Bayelsa and Rivers states are: Azebi Oyeinkurokaemo Marcodinho, of the department of Geophysics; Bob-Manuel Faithful Tekeopuye of the department of Microbiology and Ajie Precious Chioma, of the department of Sociology & Anthropology.

Speaking to GbaramatuVoice, one of the first class graduants, Guwor Williams Egbedetimi thanked the Federal Government, the brains behind the programme, Kingsley Kuku and Tompolo for the opportunity given to him and others.

He said he wanted the Federal Government to continue the programme, stressing that the peace and stability brought by the programme to the region may be threatened if the programme is aborted.

While advising beneficiaries to be more committed to their studies, Guwor called on the Federal Government to sponsor those with first class honours for their masters programme,  saying Kuku made it so, hence the Boroh led-administration must not deviate.

Also speaking, Febaide Mabel Ebiere, best graduating student, Banking and Finance, expressed her gratitude to God, the brain behind the programme, Tompolo, her parents for given her the opportunity and the encouragement.

Ebiere encouraged her fellow Gbaramatu students to be more serious with their academics pursuit, as she described the Amnesty Programme as a life support in terms of academics.

In his response, a community leader, Comrade Sheriff Mulade advised graduants to be dutiful and not to depend on the Federal Government for job, adding that creating job for themselves through entrepreneurship would go a long way in reducing unemployment in the society.

He thanked the Federal Government and Tompolo for the opportunity given to the Niger Delta and Ijaw nation, particularly Gbaramatu kingdom, adding that the Ijaw nation, particularly Gbaramatu kingdom has paid the Niger Delta prize hence the scholarship.

Also speaking, a parent, Mr. Collins Febaide appealed to the Federal Government to further sponsor those who graduated with first class to their masters level.

He charged parents of beneficiaries of the Amnesty Programme to advise their Children not to waste the opportunity offered by the programme, as he advised beneficiaries to make judicious use of the opportunity.

While advising graduants to build themselves by engaging in one trade or the other, Mr. Febaide expressed gratitude to God Almighty and Tompolo for the rear opportunity offered.

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