A student under the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) Scholarship, Akudike Ifeanyi Stephen, has emerged the Overall Best Student of Ritman University, Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State with a CGPA of 4.81 in a maximum scale of 5.00.
Stephen, a PAP scholar, was the valedictorian during the Institution’s 2019/2020 convocation ceremony held last weekend.
In his valedictory speech, Stephen said his academic achievement was a product of hardwork and dedication, noting that the privilege to be in the institution courtesy of the PAP scholarship guided him to be at his best throughout the programme.
He thanked the Interim Administrator of the PAP, Col. Milland Dixon Dikio (rtd), for the sponsorship and promised to be a worthy ambassador of the programme while also encouraging other beneficiaries of PAP scholarship not to disappoint.
In his remarks, Dikio who was represented by his Special Adviser on Projects, Godwin Ekpo, congratulated the students for their academic feats and urged them to continue to be shinning examples of the society.
He said the PAP was elated to see that its students were among the very best, saying that’s a testament that it’s investment in the scholarship scheme was not a waste.
Dikio, also commended the school authorities for what he described as the quality of learning and the facilities, which greatly helped the students and charged them to maintain the standard.
The PAP helmsman, equally appreciated President Muhammadu Buhari for his support for the Amnesty Programme and tasked companies in the region to employ the new graduates.
He said, “I want to encourage other students and the youths of the region to emulate these ones. I am elated to see their CGPA, especially those from our scholarship scheme. It gives us the assurance that the scholarship is not a waste.
“I thank Mr President for still believing and supporting the Amnesty programme and I call on all stakeholders to continue to support the drive for human capital development in the region. For companies operating here, this is an opportunity to employ this new set of graduates who have so much to offer their organization.”
On his part, the Founder and Visitor to the university, Sen. Emmanuel Ibok-Essien, said the institution would not relent in churning out quality graduates that will not only be employable but also agents of societal transformation.
He lauded the PAP leadership for granting scholarship to deserving students to study in the institution and assured that it would not stop its penchant for academic excellence which it has been known for.
Ibok-Essien, a former Deputy Chief Whip of the Senate and currently the National Chairman of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), offered the best graduating student automatic employment in the university and a cash gift of N100,000.
Four other PAP scholarship students were among those who also graduated with a First Class and 43 others with Second Class Upper.