In a bid to train and build the capacity of journalists on modern reportage, the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF), had promised to offer scholarship award to five journalists in Edo state, and other Niger Delta Oil Producing states.
The media professional workers are expected to be drawn out from among the journalists from various media organisations in the state.
Given the essence of the programme, the Head in-Country Scholarship Division, PTDF, Ms Violet Ogbomo, who flagg-off the scholarship programme in Benin City, Edo state, said, this year’s Media International Scholarship Scheme, had been reduced to five participants per state to give room for the in-Country Scholarship Scheme, which has been encourage by the fund
She stated that the fund used a Broad Based System (BBS), to select practicing journalists, using the template provided by the Fund. Other criteria used includes; Quality of Research Reportage, Statement of purpose for MSc. Programme, Knowledge of the Subject Matter and it relevance to the Oil and Gas industry in Nigeria
Also speaking at the programme, the Executive Secretary, PTDF, Dr Bello Aliyu Gusau said that the Overseas Scholarship Scheme(OSS) which is designed as a stop-gap measure has succeeded in producing a number of quality trained reporters that can come back and impact what they have learned in their various media firms.
Dr. Bello Gusau asserted: “if you realized a large number of the beneficiaries especially of the media organisations, we see it as some kind of train the trainer programme whereby we build capacity for people who will come home and also continue with the process of building capacity.
“We have done that for the last few years, and the numbers are quite large. We believe that we have reached a point of comfort. In as much as we are not going to jettison the OSS programme, but the traffic will have to change going forward, we are going to focus on more and more attention in Nigerian universities,” he added.
The five qualified journalist are Benson Omokaro, Edo Broadcasting service, Jennifer Odia, Edo Broadcasting service, Fedinard Osakue Independent Television and Radio, Maxwell Esigie, African Independent Television, and Maureen Edosogie Silver Bird Television.
Edo state is one of the states among Niger Delta Region, endowed with oil and gas in some communities in the state.
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