FORMER President of the Ijaw Youth Council, IYC, and member of the Society of Petroleum Engineers, Engr. Udengs Eradiri, has commended the Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, PAP, High Chief (Dr.) Dennis Otuaro, for prioritising education and expanding scholarship opportunities for Niger Delta youths.
Eradiri gave the commendation while speaking at the 2nd Ijaw Media Conference organised by the Ijaw Publishers’ Forum, IPF, held in Warri, Delta State, on December 17, 2025.
He described Otuaro’s leadership as impactful, particularly in the area of human capital development, noting that thousands of beneficiaries have been enrolled in educational programmes under the amnesty initiative.
“We must give credit to all those who have led this programme, up to Otuaro. Otuaro, our own, is doing fantastically well. Look at the number of people he has sent to school, including local institutions, over 3,000 beneficiaries. He is focused on education, and we must give him credit for that,” Eradiri said.
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However, the former IYC president stressed the need for a more strategic approach to educational interventions to ensure sustainability and job creation.
“I think we need to be more strategic about the kind of educational programmes we get involved in, so that we do not waste the opportunities and resources available to us,” he added.
Eradiri cited examples of Niger Delta youths who benefited from specialised training in aviation and aircraft maintenance through the amnesty programme, noting that such skills have translated directly into employment opportunities.
“When we talk about being strategic, if you look at the private jet sector in Nigeria today, about 50 per cent of the pilots are Niger Delta youths who came out of the amnesty programme. The point is that we must train people in areas where, immediately after graduation, there is job creation,” he said.
He warned against an overconcentration on academic qualifications without corresponding market demand, arguing that technical and specialised skills offer greater employment prospects.
“We have produced many PhD and Master’s degree holders without jobs. If you train one person in places like Aberdeen for pipe repairs, you will be shocked at the number of graduates that person can employ. Not when you send someone to London to study philosophy at PhD level, what will he do with it? The world has moved on,” Eradiri stated.
He therefore urged stakeholders to align educational programmes under the PAP with global industry needs, especially in technical and vocational sectors capable of driving immediate economic growth in the Niger Delta.
