Delta state governor, Mr. Ifeanyi Okowa has scrapped the Delta State First Class Graduates Scholarship Scheme introduced by his predecessor, Mr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, thereby resulting to the intentional neglect and abandonment of over 140 Delta state first class students studying in various overseas universities.
Briefing the press during his 2017 quarterly media interaction held at Press centre, government house, Asaba to mark his two years in office, governor Okowa hinted that his government can no longer carry on with the programme following the current economic crunch.
It would be recalled that the Delta State first class scholarship scheme was initiated by the immediate past governor Emmanuel Uduaghan’s administration in 2010 with the aim of training indigenous first class graduates up to MSc and PhD levels in topnotch research based universities in the world.
“I wish it were something that I could continue. Yes, it was a programme we met on ground but we are sorry to say that the state government can no longer continue with that programme because of the current economic crunch. At a stage that we came in when we were finding it difficult to pay salaries because one there is a lot of reduction in allocation from FAAC.
“Reduction in internally generated revenue and eventually we also pay a lot of money to service debts and we were owing workers salaries. The question is will the worker be relieved of his duty so that I can continue with some of these scholarships programme? It was something that we found that was not going to work”, he stated.
Meanwhile, no fewer than 140 Delta State first class graduates, awarded scholarship by the former governor Emmanuel Uduaghan led government in the last three years to pursue their MSc and PhD, in various overseas universities of their choice have cried out for assistance, accusing governor Ifeanyi Okowa of neglect and abandonment.
According the stranded students, the sum of N700 million accrued them in the past three years have been denied them by the governor Okowa led administration adding that series of letters sent to the governor were rebuffed.
“We are over 140 students of MSc and PhD in various Universities across the World that have been neglected and abandoned by governor Okowa. For the PhD students many are in their second year, few are in first and third year. Since the administration of governor Okowa came on board, we have been neglected, no payment of our scholarship stipends despite our efforts.” the students lamented.
“We engage in menial jobs such as laundry, cleaning and the likes just to fend for ourselves in foreign countries. This has caused us trauma of no mean magnitude. We do not know why we are rejected, neglected and treated with servitude even in a state where we owe our allegiance. Could it be that we need to win ‘reality shows or become ‘militants’ before we will be attended to?” the students asked.
Investigation by HardReporters revealed that the affected students are currently studying at the Heriot Watt University, Edinburgh, United Kingdom, while others are studying at London School of Heigene and Tropical Medicine London, University College London, United Kingdom, Brunel University London, University of Manchester, University of Bristol, Dalhouse University Canada, Bangor University, University of leads, University of Sheffield, University of Calgerry, Canada and University of Surrey, England and among others.
