OPEN LETTER TO NDDC MD- NSIMA EKERE

Distinguished MD,

Firstly, congratulation on your appointment as the commission's MD. I want to believe you are on a mission to alleviate the sufferings of the Niger Delta people and not to add to it.

Before your coming as the MD, the else while Ag. MD, in person of Mrs Ibim Seminatari awarded 200 postgraduate foreign scholarship to indigenes of the Niger Delta region after series of aptitude test and oral interview. The life of the administration was short lived, hence she wasn't able to pay the financial commitments that comes with the scholarship award. As a commission that sends scholars abroad yearly, it is imperative that the payment be made by your administration.

We were happy to read the tweet that emanated from your twitter handle ordering fees to paid in one week. But to our utmost surprise, another press statement emanated from the commission saying its only 32 scholars that have provided account details for payment so far. This story is not only unbecoming, it is highly unacceptable. To the best of our knowledge, we have provided hard copy of our account details and also filled same on the portal been run by the Commission's consultant. This can be verified.

We also learnt that you have only approved for 32 scholars to be paid, as they were the only persons that provided the three (3) account details required. This approach is not only unobjective, it amounts to deliberate hardship on the scholars. For instance, the five hundred thousand naira #500,000 take off grant is needed here in Nigeria and not when the scholar must have gotten overseas. Secondly, it is a rule in some embassies that tuition must be paid before scholars can apply for study visa- what becomes the fate of scholars in this category because of your directive that only scholars who have provided their institutional account details, foreign personal account details and local bank account details alone should be paid. What becomes of those scholars that can't even acquire study visa without tuition payment?

Sir, it is on this note that we will want you to listen to the cries of the scholars and act with the best interest for the future of the Niger Delta. Direct the commission to pay all scholars who have made their institutional and local bank account details available, immediately. And also pay their upkeep as soon as they provide their personal foreign bank account details.

This is all we ask for.

This is terrible.what manner of scholarship goes with a lot of hardship and uncertainty.I wonder if this is how pdtf and the likes operate.I think the federal government need to look into this scholarship scheme.smh

Can someone educate Mr. Ekere that this is a scholarship and not a grant... I earn ~50k per month and u expect me to pay tuition of more than 5M to get my visa in addition to more than 1M I'll need to pay for Visa Application, Immigration Health Surcharge, and Flight Fare. HOW?
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Pls, pay our tuition and mobilization now and pay our upkeep as soon as we open our account in our country of study.
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Don't turn our blessings to curse

This is unbelievable. Why afflicting the scholars for no reason.

It is a very big LIE that only 32 scholars have provided 3 bank details. To the best of my knowledge that number is way more than that...This is just a deliberate attempt to delay payments. Many scholars are already stranded in the U.K and US. No school fees, no upkeep money.

hm

TO THE NEW NDDC MD.. I SEE you are a NEWBIE. This wasn't part of the agreement with the LAST BOSS..if you are not ready PLEASE LEAVE OFFICE FOR SOMEONE ELSE!! you can't just enter a new office and bring new protocol...

If your child were to be among the scholars would you make such rule?

Is this how you want to start your tenure?? First with corruption Allegation and now with The Commission's Scholars Complaints??

These Black Leaders are TERRIBLE..

Is this how you were treated during their own TIME??

You are looking for more money to EMBEZZLE

YOUR SCHOLARS ARE ALREADY SUFFERING ABROAD...

YOUR COUSINS, UNCLES AND OTHER EXTENDED FAMILIES CHILDREN ARE SUFFERING ABROAD...ALL UNDER YOUR NAME!

Pay Us Our Money!

Scholarship to me is an opportunity given to the brightest minds amongst us to pursue academics and better their lots and the region in general.

It is sad that NDDC offered us scholarship since last year and have not fulfilled any of the promises they made to us.

#500,000 was promised to be paid for visa processing to our local account which we had long submitted it and up unto now, nothing has been done.

Most of us are going to countries where tuition payment is a must before you can even apply for visa, (eg. Ireland and Canada) and from the information reaching us from your commission, you said if all the three accounts i.e. the local, foreign and the institution account is not supplied, then no payment will be made.

I want to ask some questions:
1. How do I pay for my visa processing, considering the fact that most of the scholars are from poor backgrounds, hence the reason for applying to the scholarship in the first place.

2. If I am going to Canada or Ireland where I have to show evidence of paying tuition before I can apply for visa, how do I cope as these embassies don't honour NDDC award letter because of the experiences with past scholars.

I think this is a scholarship scheme and we should be objective in administering it. There are other scheme like the PTDF and their scholars are not subjected to this kind of treatment, I don't see why NDDC should treat us this way.

This scholarship has been in existence for a while now and I must say that instead of it being improved upon, it is degrading.
What was obtainable before now was tuition being paid to the School and what ever balance is left, of the $30,000 if any will be paid to your foreign account after you have resumed the school and that will be for upkeep.

Why this sudden change in the way these things are done? CHANGE should always be in the positive direction not negative.

Capturing 32 names out of 200 is far from the reality on ground, for someone like me, if the tuition fees is not paid, then I can't leave the shores of Nigeria and this will be a shame because I have worked so had for this.

God help us. Do we have an Hausa man as the head?

Nddc wayo!

Mr MD,

Can you define to us your understanding of what the word SCHOLARSHIP means to you?

Please explain...

we await your sincere response

This development is a sad one. The MD is failing to realise that there are people that don't even have money for flight ticket, and there are others that can't obtain a Visa until tuition is paid. How do these category of scholars open a foreign personal account when the resources to travel for study hasn't been provided.

This scholarship is supposed to be a thing of joy. But no, it has been a source of head and heartache for us scholars and our families.

I hope word gets to the MD and he reverses his decision to pay just 32 persons. In addition to paying in full scholars that have submitted all three account details, the commission should also pay the 500k and tuition of other scholars that has provided school account details but are yet to travel due to the above mentioned reasons. The upkeep can wait till these scholars get to their various institutions.

I have already over one hundred thousand in trying to process the visa during December last year.... I even thought that latest by January we the scholars should have gotten the alert for the 500k so everybody can complete visa processing and tickets . but by that time what we kept hearing was that the predecessors have not given the hand over briefing ...now tht you have been briefed about everything you now come up with this policy....him..I'm confused now ....

waiting

we are still waiting

still waiting still waiting