Rivers Journalists Laments PAMO University Scholarship Suspension

By Ken Asinobi The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Rivers State Council, has expressed concern over the suspension of funding for the Rivers State Medical Scholarship Programme at PAMO University of Medical Sciences, warning that the decision could adversely affect students already enrolled under the scheme. The NUJ raised the concern in a communiqué issued at the end of its 10th Congress, held on Thursday, September 3, 2026, at the Ernest Ikoli Press Centre, Port Harcourt, where members reviewed issues affecting the state, including education, security, governance, flooding and the emerging political environment ahead of the 2027 general elections. The Union particularly lamented the removal of funding for the medical scholarship programme from the new appropriation act by the Rivers State House of Assembly, expressing concern over the implications for beneficiaries and the broader development of medical education in the state. According to the NUJ, while legislative decisions on public expenditure are within the purview of the House, the welfare of students already admitted into approved scholarship arrangements should not be overlooked. The Union therefore urged the Rivers State House of Assembly to reconsider the suspension, taking into account its potential impact on affected students, medical education and human capital development in Rivers State. It also called on the Assembly to provide clear information on the status of the scholarship programme and ensure that students already benefiting from approved scholarship arrangements at PAMO University and other institutions are not unnecessarily disadvantaged. The NUJ's intervention comes amid growing concerns over the sustainability of government-funded educational programmes and the consequences of changes in appropriation for beneficiaries who may have made academic and financial commitments based on previously approved arrangements. The Union stressed that investment in medical education remains critical to the development of the state's healthcare workforce, urging the relevant authorities to resolve the funding uncertainty in the interest of the students and the state's human capital development. The Congress reaffirmed the NUJ's commitment to promoting accountability, good governance and the public interest, while urging government institutions to ensure that policy and budgetary decisions do not inadvertently undermine legitimate educational opportunities already extended to citizens.