₦airaland Forum

kishimi8:
Thought i was alone in this . Really angry. I wonder what my situation would have been if i was dependent on it

Imagine!
The level of mismanagement and Inefficiency displayed by the board is rather appalling!
What they can't do to the foreign Scholars, they find it easy to do such to the In-Country Scholars!!!!
This is corruption at it's peak!!!
EFCC should investigate their deeds; and set. their asses on fire.

The glee that accompanied our selection as PTDF scholars was unfathomable, when we were called upon to attend the induction ceremony in July 2016. Following a successful induction program and series of documentations for both Local and Foreign Scholars in the MSc and PhD category respectively, we did hope to get our stipends sooner and commence/continue our respective graduate studies in our preferred Institutions.

Sadly, after 340 days of the award not one of the Local scholars have received any form of payments from PTDF (be in form of tuition or other expense) as at this day. To worsen it all, while our colleagues who were awarded in the OSS category (Foreign Scholars) are almost wrapping up their postgraduate studies outside the country with their full stipend paid despite the high forex rates, we are still dwindling in the dungeons of despair, holding to a fading believe that “one day PTDF will pay”.

In an attempt to convey our plight and egregious discourse to the PTDF management and well-meaning Nigerians, we wrote a letter to the board in the month of March, which was also published on various media. Stating the pathetic neglect of the Nigerian scholars by PTDF. Following that move, another documentation was conducted (the 4th documentation exercise), apparently raising valid grounds for us to question the record keeping ability of the board and the entire PTDF team. Notwithstanding, it has been three months since then and still no stipends, nor personal computers has been disbursed to any of the 2016 Local Scholars. Sad it is!

The despicability of our situation have worsened to the state where our various institutions have pestered to the point of harassment, demanding for our tuitions be paid before allowing us take examinations, while for some their results are being seized pending when payments will be made by PTDF. Time will not suffice to begin to lament the missed opportunities or the unattainable heights in excellence and more robust results that would have been achieved in our thesis and projects had the resources (stipends and learning aid) been provided in due time. These opportunities and privileges we thought we've earned scholarly have been obviously denied us by the boards inefficiencies and lackadaisical attitude in handling the affairs of home grown scholars.

Now, we are in a dire straight, we have been pushed to the wall, we have endured enough. We are now propelled to let out our grievances to the Presidency, we are enlivened to voice out our predicaments to all well-meaning Nigerians. Let all and sundry be aware of the unfair, inhumane and negligent manner in which the PTDF body has neglected the LSS scholars by denying the payment of our stipends after 11 months and 7 days of award.

Is growing Nigerians in Nigeria not failing, if we continue to despise Local Scholars. Is capacity building and development in Nigeria not collapsing if we don’t value Education and trainings acquired in the country? Is it now a norm to always engage in protests before our voices be heard and get what we deserve in terms of Scholarship stipends?
If we are to go by the statement made by the PTDF Executive Secretary, Dr. Bello Aliyu Gusau who openly retorted that “overseas scholarship scheme is not sustainable therefore they will put more efforts to sponsoring and developing local content”, we expect high priority and immediate response be given to Local Scholars. Otherwise we call such statement mere vocal ejaculations without fittings as the actions does not follow the paths of the words.
However, if the statement remains true, we urge the board to pay our funds before the end of the month of June 2017.


A disheartened LSS Scholar.
Cc. Seun
cc. Davide470
Cc. Lalasticlala
Cc. All Nairaland Moderators

You all are eager to write the exams when PTDF is yet to pay previous LSS Scholars.

https://www.nairaland.com/3656214/6-months-after-induction-yet

When Growing Nigeria in Nigeria by Nigerians is Failing: A case study of PTDF LSS scholarship 2015/2016

As one of the awardees of the prestigious PTDF scholarship, I felt welcomed and proud to be standing tall amongst some of Nigeria’s brightest minds during the three day (15th-17th July, 2016) induction ceremony held at the PTDF towers in Abuja. However, as the induction ceremony drew to a close, many of the local scholarship awardees(LSS Scholars) including me, noticed a dichotomy in the ways affairs of the LSS and OSS (Overseas scholarship) schemes were been handled.

While we were waved goodbyes after the induction ceremony, preparation and travel plans were being made for our fellow scholars to be flown abroad. Many of us understood the urgency in trying to finalize travel plans for the foreign scholars - as school resumption was due in September,2016. However, some of the LSS scholars too were in similar predicament – as it was mandatory for LSS applicants to be student or admitted into any of a few selected schools across the nation at the time of application (October, 2015), so during the time of induction many of the local awardees were close to the completion of their graduate studies in some of the nation’s most prestigious Universities in Nigeria.

It is sad to state that while many of the LSS scholars brandish award letters from PTDF, some have had their results ceased by their institutions pending when PTDF pays their tuition. Whereas, most of the OSS scholars have had their fees (tuition and living expenses) paid in part or in full as far back as November, 2016, despite the outrageously high Forex rate. Meanwhile, Students schooling in Nigeria can only hold on to a Pseudo-Believe that “one day PTDF will pay”.

We want to use this medium to urge those in charge to overcome whatever bureaucratic bottlenecks that has hindered the processing of funds for the local scholars for months and to bring to the attention of well meaning Nigerians the challenges we face. Otherwise, this scholarship may tread the pathetic path of neglect similar scholarships and youth empowerment programs have witnessed in past. The Presidential scholarship (PRESSID 2015) and Youwin Batch 3 are notable examples.
Hence, we need no more delay in the payment of our funds.


Sincerely,

Concerned LSS Awardee




cc seun, davido470, lalasticlala, all the mods
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