THURSDAY April 17, 2025 |
By thenewsdesk.ng
The Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the President on Students Engagement, Comrade Sunday Asefon, has commended the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) for its sustained investment in education, training, and human capital development in Nigeria.
Asefon gave the commendation on Wednesday while addressing participants at a one-day sensitization and capacity-building workshop organized by his office in collaboration with PTDF. The event was held at the Annex Campus of the University of Uyo (UNIUYO), Akwa Ibom State.
“It is indeed a great honor to stand before you today at this important capacity-building event in the oil and gas sector, graciously sponsored by the PTDF,” Asefon said.
“I wish to sincerely thank the PTDF for their continued investment in education, training, and human capital development, particularly in a sector that is critical to our national progress.”
He highlighted the importance of the PTDF’s efforts, including scholarships, training programmes, and academic partnerships, which he said are vital to producing a new generation of skilled Nigerian professionals.
“I urge the PTDF to continue placing students at the center of national development. Nigeria’s greatest resource isn’t beneath the ground, but in the potential of its people,” he added.
Asefon emphasized his commitment to ensuring that the voices, talents, and contributions of Nigerian students are recognized and integrated into the nation’s oil and gas development agenda.
“Our young people are ready—to learn, to lead, and to contribute. But readiness alone is not enough. What they need is access—access to knowledge, mentorship, and opportunities,” he said.
“This event is more than a workshop; it’s a doorway—an opportunity to bridge classroom knowledge with industry needs.”
He encouraged students to take full advantage of the workshop, describing the oil and gas sector as one that now requires a multi-disciplinary approach involving engineers, digital innovators, environmental scientists, legal experts, and community mobilizers.
Speaking on the workshop theme, “PTDF: A Tool for Young People’s Development in Nigeria’s Oil and Gas Industry,” the Head of PTDF’s Overseas Scholarship Scheme, Mrs. Bolanle Agboola, thanked Asefon for providing the platform to engage students directly.
Agboola said the sensitization was necessary because many students remain unaware of PTDF’s scope of work and scholarship opportunities.
“PTDF scholarships are tailored to meet the long-term human capacity needs of the oil and gas industry through education and training in fields such as Engineering, Geological Sciences, Environmental Studies, and ICT,” she explained.
She revealed that a total of 8,196 Nigerians have benefited from PTDF’s scholarship programs to date, both within and outside the country.
Students attending the workshop were drawn from University of Uyo (UNIUYO), Akwa Ibom State Polytechnic, Ikot Osurua, and Akwa Ibom State University (AKSU).
