WARRI- Controversy trails Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) foreign scholarship scheme of 2017/2018 as aggrieved qualified applicants have accused the NDDC officials in the educational department for short-changing their names for their cronies and relatives and sent them abroad through the backdoor while the real shortlisted candidates are abandoned with no one coming to their aide. They also called on President Muhammadu Buhari to set up a commission of inquiry to unravel the mystery to bring justice to the affected applicants.
The NDDC former consultant of the foreign scholarship board who pleaded anonymity told Daily Watch on phone that the many applicants were unable to make it to the last stage as the selection process was rigorous, genuine and extremely transparent as it was contracted to foreign examiners who made unbiased evaluation/assessment based on merit through computer instant evaluation process at the examination hall.
He said those who were not called at last should make another effort in another session as the process is an annual exercise.
The students through a petition to President Muhammadu Buhari signed by Comrade Oghenekbukome Edah on behalf of the entire applicants, noted that ‘‘ NDDC May, 2017 advertised on its website the 2017 NDDC Foreign Postgraduate Scholarship and called for application from suitably qualified candidates in the 9 (nine) NDDC states of Abia, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross Rivers, Delta, Edo, Imo, Ondo and Rivers, who gained admissions to pursue MSc. and PhD degrees overseas in diverse professional fields that could contribute to rapid development of the oil producing region and curb youth restiveness. The commission invited shortlisted candidates for the Computer Based Test (CBT) in July, 2017 at the Rivers State University, Nkpolu, Portharcourt, Nigeria. Barely a week after the conclusion of the CBT, candidates who met the commission’s prescribed cut-off mark were invited for an oral interview at the Golden Tulip Hotel, GRA, Portharcout, Nigeria. The candidates were requested to bring along both originals and photocopies of credentials and other specified documents. Successful candidates in the exercise were expected to resume full academic work by September, 2017 in different institutions across the globe’’ the applicants said
Daily Watch findings were that while prospective scholars were waiting for the release of the list of successful awardees, to their utmost surprise, the management of the Commission announced the suspension of the exercise citing non-payment of previous scholars as the reason behind their action. Prospective scholars in the 2017 NDDC Foreign Postgraduate Scholarship accepted the development until January, 2018 when it was gathered that the payments have been made to the scholars.
He said twelve months after the exercise there is no message about the successful candidates as to when to start their foreign post graduate education. The students alleged that the commission has sent some “scholars” abroad through the “back door” as they could not get any message.
Daily Watch effort to reach out to the NDDC management by calling all the three GSM numbers fixed in NDDC official portal were inactive as all of them are constantly switched off despite many attempts . We also sent an inquiry mail signed by head of Daily Watch investigative Unit to the NDDC email at ‘‘info@nddc.gov.ng’’ for reaction barely over24 hours with no response untill filing this report.
However, Daily Watch contacted a former consultant in the NDDC scholarship board who pleaded not to be mentioned, saying that he was no longer in the department. But said on phone recorded interview ‘‘My brother I don’t want to answer you, but for your maturity, I will do as a former member in the board. But please don’t quote me because I am not the right person to answer your inquiry. NDDC scholarship examinations are very open, transparent and the process is the best in any where. The examiners were foreigners who were consulted by NDDC to carry out the evaluation process. I was a top member of the board, if it was a easy as they are saying, then means, as a Niger Deltan, my villagers would have flooded the list. But I tell you that only three applicants were shortlisted from my area. That is to tell you the process was genuine and transparent. The examiners were foreigners and only successful applicants were invited. I urge unsuccessful applicants to try again as the scheme is a continuous one.’’ They told Daily Watch.
But the applicants were not convinced and sensed a foul play in the whole NDDC scholarship scheme. They said ‘‘Candidates who participated in the oral interview were supposed to be paid transport stipend of N10, 000.00 (Ten Thousand Naira) only (about USD 27.80) on the day of the interview. However, they were asked to provide their account details for the payments to be made after the approval of the NDDC budget of 2017 as alleged by the Commission. Several months elapsed; nothing was heard from the Commission, until on March 19, 2018, messages were sent out through emails with a link requesting for bank information for payment of the transport stipend. The details were supplied by the affected candidates. It was on May 4, 2018 that candidates received the sum of N 8, 450.00 (Eight Thousand, Four Hundred and Fifty Naira) only (about USD 23.49) from Marg Education International Limited, Portharcout, Nigeria as against the earlier N10, 000.00 agreed by NDDC. Many were confused and had even wanted to formally report to their various banks that the transactions were made in error until it was confirmed that the deposits were made by Marg Education International Limited on behalf of NDDC after tax deductions as alleged.’’
According to him, ‘‘The MD/CEO of NDDC in the person of Mr. Nsima U. Ekere had earlier promised as published in the NDDC website that every issues relating to the NDDC scholarship scheme will be concluded by May, 2018 in order to enable scholars resume studies fully by September, 2018. May has come and gone, the story remained unchanged. This has amounted to about 12 (twelve) months the Commission started the process of 2017 NDDC Foreign Postgraduate Scholarship. There are so many speculations and rumours surrounding the credibility of the purported exercise, considering the fact that other Federal Government of Nigeria agencies and commissions that organise similar scholarship programme concluded their 2017 scholarship programmes and successful candidates left the shores of Nigeria to study in various institutions abroad. Some of the scholarship awarding agencies are almost concluding their 2018 scholarship scheme; yet, NDDC has not released the list of successful candidates in their 2017 scholarship scheme let alone mobilising them for onward movement overseas even though the 2017 budget was approved long ago and the 2018 budget passed by the legislative chambers waiting for the presidential assent. Previous scholars have been complaining of gross negligence by the commission and some are almost at the verge of being sent back due to irregular payment of tuition fees and living expenses by the Commission.2017 candidates of NDDC foreign postgraduate scholarship scheme are requesting that’’
The aggrieved applicants want federal government to set up a panel of inquiry to intervene and unravel the mystery in NDDC 2017/2018 post graduate scholarship exercise with the following issues;
1) The commission under the control of Senator Victor Ndoma Egba as chairman and Mr Nsima U. Ekere as MD/CEO should release the long awaited 2017 list of successful candidates for the award of the foreign postgraduate scholarship.
2) Investigation be carried out on the credibility or otherwise of the list of candidates captured in the 2017 scholarship scheme. This has become necessary due to the very long delay in the conclusion of an exercise that was started 12 (twelve) months ago. It is alleged that the Commission has sent some “scholars” abroad through the “back door”. This should be verified once the list is released. This could be done by confirming from the institutions where all the scholars whose names appeared on the list as to when he/she resumed studies, when was the tuition fees paid and who made the initial and subsequent payments of the fees.
3) The Commission should ensure that all the benefits due to the qualified beneficiaries of the 2017 NDDC Foreign Postgraduate Scholarship and those of previous scholars be paid and on time hence forth.
‘‘This has become necessary due to the very long delay in the conclusion of an exercise that was started 12 (twelve) months ago. It is alleged that the Commission has sent some “scholars” abroad through the “back door”. This should be verified once the list is released. This could be done by confirming from the institutions where all the scholars whose names appeared on the list as to when he/she resumed studies, when was the tuition fees paid and who made the initial and subsequent payments of the fees.
Source: DailyWatch
