CEM REPORT | The Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF), has clarified that the South East geopolitical zone were not excluded from the ongoing interview of the 2022 Overseas Scholarship Scheme (OSS) of the Fund for Nigerian students.
The Fund added that candidates from the region who were successful at the initial processes are currently participating in the interview exercise alongside counterparts ROM other regions.
The Fund in a statement by Mrs Timilayefa Nwajueboe of the Press and External Relations Unit of PTDF, describing certain publication as misleading noted that the caption of the said publication created the impression that candidates from the South East geopolitical zone were excluded from the ongoing interview.
The statement said at the time the issue of centers was discussed, the management and other stakeholders decided that due to the Monday sit-at-home order in the South East, candidates could pick any of the other five zones across the country, rather than Enugu, including the option for a virtual interview, from the comfort of their homes.
PTDF added that the decision was taken to specifically, to ensure the mobility of candidates from the zone was not affected by the sit-at-home order as they would have to move from their various states to Enugu, which usually serves as a center for the zone in previous interviews.
The Fund adding that the candidates were duly carried along before the decision was reached.
From Vanguard report he statement n part reads
“As we have stated in all our correspondences, it was not a deliberate attempt to remove South East (Enugu) as one of our interview centers for the conduct of the 2022 Overseas Scholarship Scheme (OSS) selection interview exercise. The decision to maintain five centers which include Port-Harcourt, Abuja, Bauchi, Kaduna and Ibadan instead of six, was basically due to the “sit-at-home” that might affect the mobility of our potential scholars, as was established by the Head of OSS. Candidates were also given the choice to be interviewed virtually from anywhere.
“The candidates who indicated South-East at the time of the application process were asked to pick any convenient venue from among the five centers, which they complied with and are currently undergoing their interviews at the center of their choice.
“We have noticed the reactions to the misleading captions in the media and wish to reassure the public that our potential scholars from the South-East are among the shortlisted candidates participating in the ongoing selection interview process.
“Names of shortlisted candidates can be found on the PTDF website,” the statement concluded.
