National chairman of Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) Phase Two, Ibena Rufus Salvation, has urged beneficiaries of the scheme to appreciate the educational support provided to them.
Ibena stated this on Sunday while reacting to an online publication alleging delays in the payment of allowances to some students of the Federal University, Otuoke, Bayelsa State.
He said scholarship beneficiaries should recognise the primary purpose of scholarship schemes as educational support, particularly the payment of school fees, rather than assuming that such support must necessarily cover accommodation, feeding, and other personal expenses.
He said: ‘In a civilised world, where scholarship is given to someone, that scholarship will only take care of the responsibility of their school fees. Not even accommodation, regardless of feeding or stipend. It is not done anywhere.’
He appealed to beneficiaries to understand the distinction between scholarship support and comprehensive financial sponsorship, stressing that students should appreciate assistance received from individuals or government-backed interventions.
According to him, where an office holder, administrator, or individual chooses to support people through what he described as a philanthropic gesture, beneficiaries should not take such assistance for granted.
‘If the office and the administrator, on his own philanthropic character, has somebody who has the will, the political will to help his people, people should not take that for granted,’ he said.
He also suggested that students facing exceptional personal circumstances, including orphans, could continue to seek additional assistance, but cautioned against responding to support with what he described as ingratitude.
‘If some students are orphans or face genuine financial challenges, they should continue to seek assistance where necessary, especially for their educational needs,’ he said.
Ibena urged the beneficiaries to remain appreciative of the support they receive, saying, rather than respond with anger, they should recognise and appreciate the assistance provided to them.