NDDC Pays N2Billion Oversea Scholarship Debt

The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC)  has paid over N2 billion to settle outstanding  fees owed to students under its Foreign Post-Graduate Scholarship Programme (FPGSP).

The commission ‘s  Acting Managing Director, Prof. Nelson Brambaifa,  in a statement on Friday, issued in Port Harcourt by the commission’s Director of Corporate Affairs, Charles Odili,  said the programme had awarded scholarship to thousands of indigent Niger Delta graduates to study in universities abroad since its launch in 2010.

The statement quotes him  ,during his visit to candidates writing the commission’s scholarship computer-based tests at the Rivers State University (RSU) ICT Centre in Port Harcourt.

“We are here at the RSU ICT Centre as part of our on-the-spot assessment of the scholarship process.

“NDDC have made payment (N2 billion) for NDDC scholars following the resolution of issues with the Central Bank of Nigeria which delayed remittance of the funds to the universities.

“The scholarship programme equips graduates of Niger Delta origin with relevant training, skills and capacity building for improved education standard in the region,” Brambaifa said.

Brambaifa was further quoted saying of the 5,000 candidates that applied for the programme that 3,112 candidates had been selected to take part in the 2019 exercise.

The MD added he had recently led a NDDC delegation on a five-day working visit to some universities in the United Kingdom as part of commitment to the scholarship programme.

“The visit afforded the NDDC team an opportunity to deepen the existing relationships with the foreign universities and take advantage of other mutually beneficial programmes,” he added.