The Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission, DESOPADEC, has in Warri, announced the launch of its much awaited bursary website. The completely revamped website features a simplified design, improved menu functionality and enriched contents areas to help students of the DESOPADEC mandate areas to make informed application for the bursary.
According to a release by Management of the Commission, for the ease of application, a Website, www.desopadecbursary.ng has been opened and all interested and eligible students were therefore advised to visit the Website to apply and complete the application form.
To be eligible to apply, students who must be from only DESOPADEC mandate areas of Ijaw, Isoko, Itsekiri, Ika, Ndokwa and Urhobo and currently studying in the University or Polytechnic in Nigeria, must also be at 200 Level and above (for University students) and ND2 (for Polytechnic students).
The document released further stated that the following items: A recent Passport Photograph, Student ID Card, Letter of Admission, Local Government of Origin/Identification Certificate and a letter of Identification from the Students’ Union/Association Chapter President of your Ethnic Nationality would be needed to be uploaded to complete the filling of the form.
While formally launching the website to kick start this year bursary process, the Managing Director/ Chief Executive Officer, Bashorun Askia Ogieh disclosed that the present Board has the interest of the students at heart hence the fruition of this programme.
In his words, “Let me say that at DESOPADEC here, we have the interest of the students at heart even though provision of bursary is not our core mandate to operate. We believe that where appropriate and where the finances are available, it will be in the need for us to intervene in that area.”
According to the DESOPADEC helmsman, the Covid -19 Pandemic and Endsars protests were the twin issues that militated against the actualisation of the bursary take off last year but was thrilled to say that its actualisation this year was a done deal.
He informed the students representatives under the auspices of Confederation of Delta State Oil Producing Ethnic Nationality Students’ Union (CODSOPENSU) who were present during the Launch that the Commission was desirous to give bursary sum of N30,000 each to 1,500 students from the ethnic nationalties of Ijaw, Itsekiri, Isoko, Ndokwa and Ika while 3,000 slots would be given to the Urhobos taking cognizance of its students population.
While expressing appreciation to the Managing Director and the Board for the timely gesture, members of CODSOPENSU led by Comrade Bright Epechi who is also the President of the Federated Union of Ndokwa Students (FUNS) appealed for the inclusion of the students of Colleges of Education and that of School of Health in the bursary programme. To which, the MD/CEO of DESOPADEC stated categorically that the bursary scheme was not a right but a privilege and that consideration of their request could not be entertained now but in the future.
Present at the occasion on the part of DESOPADEC were the Executive Director, Social Services, Barr Leonard Anoka; the Director of Finance, Mr Louis Ajieh; SSA to the Governor on DESOPADEC, Chief Prosper Edo; Head, Security Unit, amongst others while on the part of CODSOPENSU were President Ijaw Students, Oturubo T. Collins; President, National Union of Isoko Students, Ezuzu Paul O; President, Itsekiri National, Tserundede Arueyingho; President, National Association of Ika Students, Elegbon C, Chucks and President, National Union of Urhobo Students, Aregbor Ochuko.
