Paucity Of Funds Threatens PTDF Scholarship Programme–Says Executive Secretary

The Executive Secretary, Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF); Dr Oluwole Oluleye has said that the Fund’s overseas scholarship programme is being threatened by the paucity of funds.
Oluleye, who made this known last week in Abuja when he addressed members of staff on how to move the organisation forward, said inadequate funds were also hampering its operations.

The Executive Secretary, Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF); Dr Oluwole Oluleye has said that the Fund’s overseas scholarship programme is being threatened by the paucity of funds.
Oluleye, who made this known last week in Abuja when he addressed members of staff on how to move the organisation forward, said inadequate funds were also hampering its operations.
He told the staff that: “ There are indeed critical challenges presently confronting us, some of which are dire and fundamental to our corporate existence.“Top on the list is the financially poor situation. I have observed that as a fully functional independent agency of government, we might not be able to meet our commitments and obligations if the funding issue is not urgently addressed.
“Apart from the effect of mounting liabilities to contractors, our scholars are frustrated and exposed to the threat of having their studies prematurely terminated as a consequence of delayed remittances of fees and up keep allowances.’’ he said.
The executive secretary also decried the lack of commitment of some members of staff to work and pledged to restore their confidence to meet the obligations of the agency.
He promised to review and streamline some of the capacity building programmes of the agency and admonished workers to adhere to the precepts of diligence, discipline and punctuality.
Oluleye stressed the need for the PTDF to be repositioned for effective service delivery in the oil and gas sector.
“As the lead agency for the development of human capital for the oil and gas industry, the PTDF  is critical to the realisation of Mr President’s Transformation Agenda as it relates to the Nigerian Content Initiative,’’ he said.