19,323 Candidates Apply for 2019/2020 PTDF Overseas Scholarship

No fewer than 19,323 candidates have applied for the 2019/2020
overseas M.Sc and PhD programmes of Petroleum Technology
Development Fund (PTDF), the agency has said.

In a statement in Abuja on Thursday, the Head, Media and
External Affairs of the fund, Mr Kalu Otisi, said: “The total
number of applications received for 2019/2020 academic year for
overseas masters’ and PhD programmes is 19,323.

“The over 19,000 applicants will be jostling for less than 500
slots given on the average by the PTDF.”

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that between 2007 and
2013, 2,417 masters’ degree and 642 doctoral degree students
benefited from the organisation’s overseas programmes, giving an
average of 437.

“In the 2016/2017 oversees scholarship scheme, 175 MSc and 80
PhD candidates benefited from the programme,” Otisi said.

For the 2019 application, he said: ”For MSc Overseas Scholarship
Scheme, we received 15,822, while for PhD Overseas Scholarship
Scheme we received 3, 501.”

The physical and oral interviews for the candidates, he said,
would start on Monday, April 29 and end on May 10, 2019.

Otisi said PTDF had arranged different venues for the selection
interview in the six geo-political zones.

He said the interview for candidates in the South-south zone
would be at the University of Port Harcourt, while candidates in
the South-west zone would be interviewed at the University of
Ibadan.

Candidates from the North-central zone will be interviewed at
PTDF Tower, Opposite Yar’adua Centre, Central Business District,
Abuja, and those from the South-east zone will be interviewed at
the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nsukka, Otisi said.

He added that candidates from the North-east zone would be
interviewed at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi, while
those from of North-west would be interviewed at the Kaduna State
University.

The fund on November 28, 2018, opened its portal for application
by qualified candidates for the overseas MSc and PhD programmes and
closed it after six weeks.

The PTDF overseas scholarship scheme has over the years trained
professionals in engineering, geology, environmental studies and
renewable energy, among others, to service the oil and gas sector
of the economy.

A total of 4,816 Nigerians have benefitted from the programme
with 1,449 scholars undertaking PhD programmes and 3,367 scholars
benefiting from the MSc programme. (NAN)

DSS Calls for Inter-Agency Collaboration to tackle
insecurity
… Colonel Nwachukwu Becomes Chairman FOSSRA

The Director-General, Department of Security Service (DSS),
Yusuf Magaji Bichi has underscored the paramount importance of
effective collaboration and mutual synergy among security
agencies.

He said the dynamics of contemporary threats such as kidnapping,
terrorism, insurgency, cattle rustling, cybercrime and other forms
of organized criminal activities like human, drug and currency
trafficking, which are confronting Nigeria require joint efforts,
especially by security agencies, to combat them.

The DSS boss made the call at the monthly meeting of the Forum
of Spokesperson of Security and Response Agencies (FOSSRA) and the
inauguration of the new Chairman of the forum and Defence
Spokesperson, Colonel Onyema Nwachukwu in Abuja.

Magaji Bichi maintained that security and law enforcement
agencies must continue to collaborate and partner not only to
ensure national security but also to provide an environment that
will help Nigeria attain her development goals economically,
politically, socially and culturally.

As part of global best practice and effective approach to
security management, he noted that partnership and collaboration
among stakeholders is imperative.

Said Bichi: “Today, our country is bedeviled with multifarious
security challenges. We must, therefore, be resolute and remain
strong in the face of these challenges. Each agency must bring its
wealth of experience and comparative advantages to compliment the
effort of another. With unity of purpose, we can surmount the
challenges and keep Nigeria one and free from violence and
crime.”

The DSS Director-General commended the members of the forum and
appeal to them to bring up ideas that will build trust and promote
public confidence in security agencies.

“FOSSRA was created so as to help the various security agencies
speak with one voice on issues of national security interest and
seamlessly coordinate emergency/disaster response where necessary.
I have no doubt that the objective is so far been assiduously
pursued. The positive impact is obvious.

“As public speakers for various security agencies, I urge you to
continually use language that conforms to democratic culture. And
in order to successfully achieve this, you must understand and
respect the delicate balance between protecting the state and
citizens,” he said.

Also speaking at the occasion, the new Chairman of FOSSRA and
Director Defence Information, Colonel Onyema Nwachukwu urged
information managers and journalists to work harmoniously towards
promoting national interest and protecting national security

Colonel Nwachukwu said: “We have to sustain our relationship
with the media as the right channels to the public so that our
information is not distorted for the advantage of our enemies and
criminal elements.”

Speaking early at the meeting the Executive Secretary of Centre
of Crisis Communication, the Secretariat of FOSSRA explained that
the rationale behind the formation of the forum was borne out of
the need to enhance cooperation and effective communication among
the security agencies.

Anas said: “We use the monthly meeting to improve on the
existing inter-agency collaboration among security agencies towards
efficiency in operations and better information management.”

Members of FOSSRA included spokespersons of the Defence
Headquarters, Nigerian Army, Nigerian Navy, Nigerian Air Force,
Nigeria Police Force, Department of State Service (DSS), National
Intelligence Agency (NIA) Nigerian Prisons Service and Nigeria
Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), the Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC) and National Drug Law Enforcement
Agency (NDLEA).

Other members include the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Nigeria
Immigration Service (NIS), Independent Corrupt Practices Commission
(ICPC), Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), National Emergency
Management Agency (NEMA) and Nigerian Maritime Administration and
Safety Agency (NIMASA) and Federal Fire Service.

By PRNigeria