Nigerian students under the aegis of the Niger Delta Students Union Government have asked the Niger Delta Development Commission to begin payment of allowances to students studying abroad under the scholarship programme of the commission.
The students made the demand when they staged a protest to the commission’s headquarters in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on Tuesday.
The students berated the commission for awarding scholarships to the students and ignoring them abroad.
SaharaReporters had reported that many scholars abroad were at risk of having their institutions terminate their academic programmes as the NDDC had refused to pay their tuition for about two years.
The students abroad said the commission refused to pay their mobilisation fee and tuition fees.
NIDSUG expressed dissatisfaction at NDDC, condemning the insincerity of the commission over the years to adequately fund and focus on educational development in the region.
“We express our displeasure against the policy if the NDDC that brought about the scholarship cannot pay for it.
“After two years they have been unable to pay them, enough is enough.
“The scholars are currently stranded in different countries abroad. They are stranded and suffering,” said Comrade N-epba Goodness, National President of NIDSUG, while speaking at the protest scene.
The Niger Delta students issued a five-day ultimatum to the commission to pay the students abroad or risk picketing from them.
They also said they were in support of the forensic audit of the NDDC from inception but requested that the audit be done by independent firms, and not be piloted by politicians, who are alleged to be implicated by the audit.
