NDDC speaks on Post Graduate Foreign Scholarship Programme

LAGOS, Nigeria -The Management of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, is making concerted efforts to ensure that the Commission meets its financial obligations to the beneficiaries of the 2019 Post-Graduate Foreign Scholarship Programme.

In a statement,  Director of Corporate Affairs, Mr. Charles Obi Odili said the commission is doing everything possible to make sure that the beneficiaries of the scholarship progamme are paid.

“We have done all the paper work required for the transfer of the funds. The delay in remitting the payments may have been as a result of some bottlenecks at the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN”, NDDC said, adding  that the Commission has no intention whatsoever to “abandon the scholars who are our ambassadors. We are, therefore, doing everything possible to make sure that the beneficiaries of the scholarship progamme are paid”, the NDDC said.

NDDC said the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdown created the problem for the Commission to meet this obligation.  Moreover, the current inquest by the National Assembly has not given the Commission ample time to work. However, the processes for payment has gone far and the students will be made to smile in the quickest possible time.

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The NDDC foreign scholarship scheme started in 2010, with the objectives to bridge the gap in the management cadre of the oil and gas sector of the Niger Delta region; address the dearth of professional human capital and capacity among the youths and prepare them for leadership and management positions in the oil and gas sector.

Till date, some 1,634 youths have been trained under the scheme, who turn out as better qualified youths armed to bring new learning to bear in different sectors of the Niger Delta economy.

“We want to re-state our determination to promote quality education for the people of the Niger Delta region”, the NDDC said, and urged stakeholders of the region should disregard the unfounded allegations that the students were abandoned.