NDDC Scholarship beneficiaries abroad cry out over neglect

Students under the scholarship  of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) abroad have sent a save our souls plea to the Federal Government to save them from being thrown out due to inability to pay tuition fee.One of the beneficiaries, who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of being victimised, noted that some of them have resorted to doing menial jobs to raise funds for their programmes, adding that the COVID-19 pandemic had, however, blocked all avenues for income.He noted that over 210 students were affected.He said, “Nine months after resumption, the scholars spread across the UK, the US, Canada, and other parts of the world, have yet to receive payment for their tuition and living costs. The take-off grant of N500, 000, which should have been paid before we left Nigeria in September 2019, was paid eight months later in April 2020.“Meanwhile, we took loans, emptied our personal accounts and raised funds from families while relying on the promise of the NDDC and the Federal Government, to make the journey to our various institutions. Some are still stranded at home, because they have not been able to raise the funds for their visa applications and flight tickets.“While we were informed that some schools had MoU with the NDDC, it is sad that today, even these schools have started to transfer the tuition debts to the scholars with threats of deactivating the studentship and deporting the affected scholars.”The source said the beneficiaries have had to pay high rents, settle necessary academic expenses and could barely afford any form of relaxation, adding that this was not the case with scholars of other bodies in the various institutions.The student stated, “With this very precarious situation, scholars are still expected to maintain excellent academic records. Even though this is a full scholarship, we have had to do odd jobs, barely getting to sleep. This is not what we signed up for! We have watched our excitement turn into anxiety, not only us, but also our families.“The global COVID-19 pandemic has made many scholars to lose their menial jobs from where they get extra funds. When the take-off grant was paid, we were assured on Twitter by the commission that all was set for the payment of the other fees and that as soon as the CBN could execute the forex requirements, we would be paid. Sadly, this has not happened. We are in the ninth month of the 12-month programme.”Another student, who also spoke on condition of anonymity, said his institution had written several reminders to the NDDC with no result, adding that the institution had denied him access to any of its services.He said, “I had to use my savings to come over to start my studies and when I resumed in January, I paid a lot of fees on my own. We kept on reaching out to the NDDC and there was no response; the school has written to the commission several times, yet no response.“When the NDDC paid the take-off grant, I had to use it to repay the loan I took for the first quarterly accommodation and now the school has written to me that they are tired of extending and they have sent my tuition invoice to me twice, and sent letters and reminders to the NDDC, but we have not got anything from the commission.“The last email the school sent to me was that in as much that it was willing to extend, there was a limit to which it could and that it was gradually reaching the limit and any moment from now, it would transfer the tuition debt to me to pay and if I didn’t pay within 30 days, I would be disconnected from accessing any of the university’s services. It’s a terrible situation we have found ourselves.“I resumed in January and I was trying to find a job when the coronavirus pandemic started, so I don’t even have a job at the moment and the few opportunities I have are care jobs and they are so risky. I’m at the point where I have to decide whether to risk my life and take the care job or starve.”Another beneficiary, who also spoke anonymously, said the development had traumatised him emotionally.He stated, “When I resumed in January, the institution informed me that I would be given a month’s grace for my tuition to be paid and that if the period elapsed, the tuition would be transferred to me and the scholarship letter would not be recognised.“The institution wrote to the commission, but the letter was never replied. I practically depleted my little savings and even burdened my retired father financially. He had to borrow to send to me to school. My rent is £470 per month, I’m emotionally traumatised and one is still expected to make good grades.“I had been shut out of my school’s portal once. I had to beg the school and I was given another grace period, which also expired. It has not been easy at all. How long are we going to be giving them excuses when they have other scholars from the PTDF and Tetfund, and those are not giving them issues?”However, the commission, in a statement signed by the Director, Corporate Affairs, Charles Odili, and titled: ‘NDDC postgraduate foreign scholarship programme’, blamed the COVID-19 pandemic, the Central Bank of Nigeria and the National Assembly for the delay in the payment of the beneficiaries’ grants.Odili stated that the commission was doing everything possible to ensure the payment of the scholarship grants.The statement read in part, “The management of the Niger Delta Development Commission is making concerted efforts to ensure that the commission meets its financial obligations to the beneficiaries of the 2019 postgraduate foreign scholarship programme.“We are doing everything possible to make sure that the beneficiaries of the scholarship programme are paid. We have done all the paper work required for the transfer of the funds. The delay in remitting the payments may have been as a result of some bottlenecks at the Central Bank of Nigeria.“The commission has no intention whatsoever to abandon the scholars, who are our ambassadors. We are, therefore, doing everything possible to make sure that the beneficiaries of the scholarship programme are paid.”He added that the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent lockdown created the problem for the commission to meet the obligation. “Moreover, the current inquest by the National Assembly has not given the commission ample time to work. However, the process for payment has gone far and the students will be made to smile in the quickest possible time,” he reassured.