The Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF), has begun screening exercise for 606 candidates in the North-East under its overseas scholarship scheme.
Mr Suraju Fari, Head of Overseas Scholarship, PTDF, stated this on the sidelines of the three-day screening and physical verification exercise, on Monday in Bauchi.
According to him, the Fund will offer scholarship to successful PhD and MSc students in the field of oil and gas as well as renewable energy.
On criteria for the selection of candidates, Fari said they looked at their O’level certificates and first degrees, as well as second degrees for those going for PhD.
Fari said the Fund also examined the level of competency of each candidates in defending their proposals, hence the resolve to invite panelists.
‘The process is okay because there is transparency in all what we are doing from the applications because we advertise and give the applicants six weeks to apply.
Screening/verification of candidates for PTDF Overseas Scholarship in Bauchi cent
re
‘The computer shortlisted the candidates and then our staff shortlisted what the computer had shortlisted because we know that some people can beat the computer.
‘Here in Bauchi centre, we have 606 shortlisted candidates and today, we are going to interview 204 compfising 102 PhD and 102 MSc.
‘The mandate of the PTDF is to develop capacity, competency, skills in the oil and gas industry and we can not go beyond our mandate.
‘PTDF candidates that normally study abroad are outshining. Our candidates are performing excellently because of the selection process which is transparent and based on merit,’ he said.
Also speaking, Dr Usman Hassan, a member of the panelists, said most of the proposals of the applicants interviewed are relevant to the Nigerian oil and gas industry.
Hassan is also the Head of Department, Petroleum Engineering, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU) Bauchi.
‘If the scholars become successful at the end of the programme, they are going to add value and make contributions to the
national oil and gas industry,’ Hassan said.
One of the candidates, Ijantiku John, who lauded the seamless conduct ofvthe exercise, said he applied for the PTDF scholarship to pursue his Masters Degree in Environmental Science in Germany.
‘The questions they asked are based on your field that you aspire to study and everything is very transparent and no manipulations whatsoever,’ said John, a lecturer with the Adamawa State University (ADSU), Mubi.
Corroborating earlier opinion, Hussaini Mohammed, said that he also applied for the PTDF scholarship online for his PhD in Chemical Engineering in Germany.
Source: News Agency of Nigeria