By Felix Khanoba
The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) has appealed to the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to pay the tuition and allowance fees of students on its overseas scholarship scheme, saying many of them are fast turning to begging as a means of survival.
The Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the Commission, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, made the appeal in a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja on Tuesday.
The statement signed by Gabriel Odu of the Media, Public Relations and Protocol Unit of NIDCOM, said the plea became necessary to guarantee their stay and education abroad.
Hon. Dabiri-Erewa made reference to a letter written to the Minister of the Niger Delta Affairs, Sen. Godswill Akpabio, dated June 18, 2020, with reference number-NIDC/001/20/1, which drew attention to the plight of the students and urged the NDDC who are directly responsible for the students’ scholarships to pay.
She added that the NIDCOM counts on the Minister’s assurances that all outstanding payments to affected students will be made.
“At the moment there have been persistent calls by the students for urgent intervention. While the deadline for payment of the fees of some of the students have expired or about to expire, non-payment of their allowances have turned many of them to virtually become beggars.
“The NIDCOM chairman once again appeal to the Niger Delta Ministry and the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, to intervene urgently and promptly too,” the statement added.
