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Tag: Scholarship

  • COVID-19, NASS responsible for delay in scholarship payments – NDDC

    COVID-19, NASS responsible for delay in scholarship payments – NDDC

    The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has attributed the delay in meeting its obligations to the beneficiaries of its 2019 postgraduate foreign scholarship programme to the lockdown created by the COVID-19 pandemic and the inquest by the National Assembly.

    The NDDC Director, Corporate Affairs, Charles Odili in a statement in Port Harcourt said the commission was making concerted efforts to effect the required payments.

    He said contrary to claims in some quarters, the NDDC had not abandoned the scholars describing them as the commission’s ambassadors.

    He said: “We are 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.

    “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 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 have gone far and the students will be made to smile in the quickest possible time.

    “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 restate our determination to promote quality education for the people of the Niger Delta region. The stakeholders of the region should disregard unfounded allegations that the students were abandoned.”

  • AMAC Chairman gives N21m scholarship to students

    AMAC Chairman gives N21m scholarship to students

    Mr Abdullahi Candido, the Chairman, Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), on Wednesday, gave scholarship worth N21.3 million to 806 students in the council area.

    While giving the scholarship to each of the beneficiaries at the council secretariat, the chairman said it was for the 2019 scholarship award for tertiary institution students, both indigenes and non-indigenes of AMAC.

    “This scholarship is part of my administration’s efforts to support and encourage education and the students, being the future leaders of this country.

    “It is important for students to be given necessary support so that they can reach their full potentials in life. That is one of the reasons this administration is complementing their parents’ efforts with this scholarship,” he said.

    Candido, who charged the recipients to be good ambassadors of the council, said that the selection of successful candidates was done on merit.

    He said that the scholarship committee also considered non-indigenes residing within the council as beneficiaries.

    Earlier, Dr Sheriff Aminu, Head of Education Department, AMAC, noted that eligible students were selected across the 12 wards of the council, while application forms were given free of charge.

    “Thirty Master students were given N50,000 each, 430 undergraduate students received N30,000 each, while 346 College of Education (NCE) students and others in the same category were given N20,000 each,” he explained.

    In his remark, Mr Abubakar Sadiq, President, Abuja Indigenous Students’ Association (AISA), appreciated the chairman for his kind gesture.

    He promised that the students, on their part, would continue to remain good ambassadors of the council anywhere they found themselves.

    One of the beneficiaries, Mr Ibrahim Noma, an NCE student from Karshi ward, said that he was excited for being among the successful candidates.

    He added that the scholarship would go a long way in helping his academic pursuit and complement whatever his aged parents were able to provide for him.

  • Wema Bank Supports Education for Children through Scholarship Awards

    Wema Bank Supports Education for Children through Scholarship Awards

    Wema Bank Plc – the inventor of Nigeria’s first fully digital bank, ALAT – has rewarded 20 of its Royal Kiddies Account holders as the financial institution announced winners of the Wema Education Awards for 2019.

    Given the earlier announcement to provide education support for its customers, a total of 20 winners emerged with six coming from the bank’s Lagos Region, five from South West and three each from South East, South-South and the Northern region.

    Speaking at the draw held at the bank’s headquarters in Lagos on Wednesday, September 25, Dotun Ifebogun, Divisional Head Retail Banking, commended the commitment shown by customers of the bank’s Royal Kiddies Account. According to him, the management of Wema Bank has discovered over the years that the annual award has carved out a niche for itself in the banking sector in Nigeria.

    He stated that the cash prize from the award has endeared itself to the hearts of many parents, who already have opened an account for their children aged 0 to 12 years. Dotun disclosed that many of those parents usually look forward with expectations of their children being among the lucky winners.

    He went on to assure customers that Wema Bank will continue the children education support scheme and charged parents who are yet to open a Wema Bank’s Royal Kiddies Account for their children to do so.

    Dotun added that the Royal Kiddies Account allows lodgement of dividend warrants and cheques in the beneficiary child’s name. As part of the benefits accruable from the account, he explained, Wema Bank charges no interest on any banker’s cheque purchased for payment of school fees for the account holder.

    Similarly, Funmilayo Falola, Head of Brand and Marketing Communications, Wema Bank, said the financial institution believes that education plays a key role in the future of every child which is the reason the bank attaches importance to Wema Education Awards.

    She described the award as a veritable window through which the bank supports the destiny of future champions.

  • 30 Nigerian students get full U.S. govt scholarship

    U.S. government had given university scholarship to 30 outstanding Nigerian students to enable them to study in the U.S and other countries.
    The scholarship is in furtherance of the Education U.S.A Opportunity Funds programme.
    Ms Malia Heroux, the Deputy Cultural Affairs Officer, U.S. Embassy in Abuja made this known on Friday during the pre-departure orientation for the students.
    Heroux said that 35 students applied for the 2019 scholarship programme but only 30 of them were selected, with 27 of them going to the U.S. while the remaining three got the prestigious Mastercards to Ghana.
    She said that the students were selected across schools in Nigeria based on academic excellence, demonstrated leadership potential, ethos of giving back to community extracurricular achievement, and talent.
    She explained that although the programme was spearheaded by the U.S. embassy in Nigeria, the scholarship and funds were provided by the institutions it partnered with.
    “The scholarship is for students who are incredibly high achieving academically but come from backgrounds which are not economically conducive to paying for school fees,” she said.
    Heroux said that the scholarship equally cut across students considered to be leaders in their communities and seeking to make a difference in their communities.
    “Academically, Education U.S.A. has over 400 advising centres in different countries and we have a larger number of advising in Nigeria because we have such a rich body of created and talented people.
    “The funding comes from the school themselves this is why we like to work with the students to identify not only what programmes they want to study but universities that offer such programmes and also in financial position to provide for scholarships.
    “So the embassy only pays for opportunity students, pay for some of the small fees as well as the standardise testing, airline tickets.
    “We have 30 students who are benefiting from the education U.S.A opportunities funds grants programme.
    “We work with many more students throughout the year whose parents can either fund or who are seeking partial scholarship,” Heroux said.
    Also speaking, Mr Anton Smith, acting Deputy Chief of Mission, U.S. Embassy in Abuja said that the U.S. was interested in providing opportunities for exceptional students to study and return to develop their country.
    Smith said that the scholarship programme also created opportunities for students to learn more about America and the culture which would further help in strengthening ties between Nigeria and the U.S.
    “The main interest is providing opportunities for some of the best performing students in the world and particularly from Nigeria.
    “To come and spend time in the U.S. so that they can gain the cultural insight and cultural exchange that helps us draw people together.
    “And to give the high performing students an opportunity to gain from some of the best education in the world across the world.
    “So that the Nigerian students going to study can have the American experience, come back and help Nigeria to succeed, to create opportunities for aligning on issues of mutual importance or creating opportunities for growth and prosperity.
    “All of that helps America when they help Nigeria so it is a win win situation that is very easy for us to see the return on investments” Smith said.
    One of the beneficiaries, Abraham Ojodomo, praised the U.S. government for the opportunity and the U.S. Embassy’s Education U.S.A. Advising Centre for providing him with the opportunity to make his dreams come true.
    Ojodomo said that he was benefiting from a 76,000-dollar full-funded scholarship to study Computer Science at Franklin and Marshal College in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
    He said that he graduated from Government Secondary School, Karu, Abuse, but never expected to further his education since his mother was a petty trader, who sold tigernut drink, a local brew.
    He said that he planned to return to Nigeria after his studies and establish an Information Technology school in a rural community where the less privileged, intelligent students could have the opportunity to study and achieve their dreams.

  • 92 persons benefit from NITDA’s postgraduate scholarship awards

    No fewer than 92 persons have benefited from the 2017/2018 Postgraduate Scholarship programme of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA).

    The Head, Corporate Affairs and External Relations Unit of the agency, Mrs Hadiza Umar said this in a statement on Monday in Abuja.

    According to Umar, the scholarship programme is part of President Muhammadu Buhari’s human capital development agenda for citizens to contribute to nation development.

    “NITDA has awarded 92 scholarships in the 2017/2018 session for Master’s and Doctorate degrees in relevant areas of ICT and ICT Law.

    “This is in the efforts of the agency at assessing and addressing ICT skills requirements to support President Buhari’s sustainable economic growth and development strides.”

    “The scholarship scheme was expanded to cover diverse areas including Masters in ICT Law through the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) of the agency.”

    Umar said that a total of 5,504 candidates applied out of which 2,188 sat for the computer-based aptitude test.

    She said that the final selection was based on academic merit, exceptional character traits that would enable them maintain highest level of values and be worthy ambassadors of the country.

    She disclosed that each scholar studying abroad received an average package of over N17 million per annum comprising tuition fees, personal allowance to cover accommodation, living expenses and other allowances.

    She said that in-country scholars received an average of over N3 million, while about N752 million was spent annually on the scheme.

    Umar said that since inception of the scheme to date, the agency has successfully sponsored 341 Nigerian Graduates in various ICT fields at universities in the UK, USA, Canada, Germany and Australia.

    According to her, for the selection, two scholars are picked from each state and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) at Masters Level and one scholar in each geo-political zone of the country at Doctorate degree Level.

    “The scholarship scheme is highly competitive and candidates are selected based on academic excellence and leadership qualities after going through a fair rigorous process.

    “Beneficiaries of the scheme are fully employed, while others have set up viable IT businesses that are providing employment opportunities contributing to the country’s economy,’’ she said.

    The scholarship scheme which was established in 2010 is aimed at bridging the digital gap through human capital development with emphasis on creating and supporting a knowledge-based economy.

     

  • Amnesty scholarship scheme intact – Amnesty Office

    Prof. Charles Dokubo, Coordinator, Presidential Amnesty Programme, has called for tolerance, patience and understanding from delegates on the payment of their allowances and scholarships, while also stressing the amnesty scholarship scheme remains in place.

    Dokubo made the call on delegates of the Programme within and outside the country in a statement signed by the Chief of Staff, Presidential Amnesty Office, Major Kesiena Mowarin (Rtd) on Thursday in Abuja.

    Dokubo said this to douse the tension and questions arising from recently deployed student delegates who were uncertain of the status of their scholarships and payment of allowances.

    He said that he was aware of these concerns and was poised to tackle lingering inhibitions to the progress of the programme.

    He disclosed that Presidential Amnesty Office was currently carrying out an audit of its books, an exercise that will be concluded soon and actions expedited on the payment of outstanding stipends and other allowances to delegates duly.

    According to statement, the Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme is an academic and so has the best interest of these scholarship delegates at heart.

    “He will fight day and night to ensure that these students whether here in Nigeria or abroad stay in school and concentrate on the task of graduating with excellent.”

    He went further to stress the imperatives for quality education, explaining that the office realizes the importance of sustaining its scholarship platform and would work assiduously to achieve set objectives.

    He, however, advised delegates to disregard rumours bothering on expulsion or removal from the Presidential Amnesty Programme scholarship scheme.

    Dokubo, who recently assumed leadership at the Presidential Amnesty Office, has been meeting with various interest groups from the Niger Delta in a bid to engender support for the new development blueprint of the Buhari administration for the Niger Delta.

     

  • Dangote Cement gives multi-million naira Scholarship to 115 in host communities

    In a major boost to its Corporate Social Responsibility profile, Dangote Cement Plc, Ibese Plant has announced a multi-million Naira educational scholarship award for 115 students from its 15 host communities for the 2017/2018 academic session.

    The Company said the scholarship has become an annual event meant to contribute to the educational development of the people and the area and position them in right place in the scheme of things in Ogun state and Nigeria in general.

    Acting Plant Director of Dangote Cement, Ibese, Mr. Louis Raj, while speaking during the presentation of cheques to the beneficiaries at Ibese Plant explained that the management decided to increase the number of beneficiaries to 115 from the previous 80 so that more children of the area could benefit.

    He also said the decision was meant to encourage the young ones to go to school as a sure way of building them mentally and morally so that they be good to themselves and the society.

    According to him, the scholarship award is just one of the many Social Services the Company has committed itself to and continue to provide other social services as a way of giving back to the society within which it operates.

    Mr. Raj stated that the scholarship award and other CSR projects were being undertaken as a way of saying thank to the people for maintenance and sustenance of peace in the area pointing out that it was the prevailing atmosphere of peace that make the company to operate smoothly.

    He expressed the management gratitude to the royal fathers and other community leaders whose efforts have accounted for the peace and tranquility, noting that the company would wish the spirit of peaceful coexistence continues.

    The General Manager, Government and Community Relations, Joseph Alabi while giving the breakdown of the scholarship said the award covered 115 students of Yewa origin studying various course across several higher institutions of learning in the country.

    Some of the schools where the beneficiaries are studying include Polytechnics, Universities, College of Educations, College of Technologies, and secondary schools scattered across Ogun state.

    Alabi also announced a list of candidates from the host communities who have been selected to attend Dangote Academy for training in various arts and vocations pointing out that the training will equip them with wherewithal to work and do their own business whenever they chose to.

    “In Dangote Group, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) to our communities is our watchword and focus. Giving scholarships, construction of roads and drainages, provision of transformers and other projects to connect communities to national grid, among others are what will do every year. We award scholarships to communities in order to give the communities part of wealth being created.

    “I think everything is not about money but the main benefit is to provide them the opportunity to have better education and in the future, if they are good students, well-qualified, we will also offer them opportunities to work here at Ibese Cement Plant. This is part of CSR to ensure good relations, good partnership with our communities,” he added.

    Dangote Cement gives multi-million naira Scholarship to 115 in host communities

    In his remark, the Olu of Imasayi, Oba Gbadebo Oni said the host communities are happy with Dangote Cement with its handling of community issues, saying Alhaji Aliko Dangote deserves all the cooperation his people could muster for citing the cement plant in their land and then taking care of the people and the communities.

    He promised that his people would continue to give peace a chance always because to whom much is given, much is expected. The Monarch said the education scholarship is the best thing that has happened to the host communities because the issue of quality education cannot be quantified in monetary terms.

    The scholarship according to him, has offered a big relief to parents who have to struggle so much to ensure their children school fees are paid, saying they will forever be grateful to the management of Dangote cement.

    It would be recalled that the company had some years ago instituted scholarships for the indigenes of any of the host communities in any higher institution and secondary schools with the management saying it was poised to making life more meaningful to all members of the host communities with a promise to ensure that all projects meet the specific need of each community.

    Also, the Dangote Cement Plc, Gboko factory in Benue State had also given out N20 million worth of scholarships to indigent students from the firm’s host community, Mbayion, as part of its CSR in the last one year.

    The Group also emerged Nigeria’s best Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Company according to a survey by Governance Advancement Initiative for Nigeria (GAIN), an NGO.

    Dangote was the adjudged overall winner among 25 Nigerian and multinational companies operating in the country in 2016, scoring 6.3 per cent, followed by Nestle with 5.51 per cent and Etisalat with 5.45 per cent.

  • APC chieftain, Efe Daku blasts Okowa for suspending scholarship scheme in Delta

    A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Delta State, Efe Daku has lambasted Governor Ifeanyi Okowa for suspending the state’s scholarship scheme.

    Recall that TheNewsGuru.com had earlier reported the announcement of the indefinite suspension of its First Class Graduate Scholarship Scheme by the State Scholarship Board because of what it described as ‘the prevailing economic situation bedeviling the state.’

    This was released in a letter by the Delta State Scholarship Board to all beneficiaries of the scheme.

    The letter, dated 27th September obtained exclusively by TheNewsGuru.com was signed by the Executive Secretary of the Board, Comrade Elijah Ologe.

    The Board noted that despite the fact that it was aware that some beneficiaries depended solely on the funds to run their education in their various tertiary institutions, it has no option but to suspend the scheme as the state government can no longer afford to fund it.

    However, in a swift reaction, the APC chieftain noted that it was appalling that Governor Okowa who benefited from various scholarship schemes while learning has now decided to suspend same to students who have been making the state proud in their various disciplines.

    Daku noted that such acts will further promote brain drain which has already gotten to an unbearable stage in the country.

    He stated this on his Facebook Page on Saturday. His post reads in full:


    ABANDONING OUR ‘BEST & BRIGHTEST’ IN STRANGE LANDS!!!

    We all encourage our youths to study well, for education elevates man beyond what words can describe. In the last couple of years some Deltans have been coming out with amazing first class degrees. Without their asking, you elected to award these extremely brilliant youths various post-graduate scholarships in foreign universities. Having voluntarily given them so much hope, is it right for you to suddenly decide to abandon them in foreign lands? Search your conscience if you have one.

    For about two years, these researchers, experts-in-training, and indeed some of our best and brightest have been asking you for ‘mercy’ to allow them conclude their studies. And now, so merciless at heart, you have formally declared and certified their abandonment with your ‘OYO’ – ‘Own Your Own’ policy. They are now confused, bewildered and vexed in their souls. But because you are not their God, we trust God to arise for them. And be reminded that your public notice may have tried to suppress the status of the current beneficiaries who are suffering untold hardship, but we know because their SOS cries are heard everywhere.

    May the Almighty God show you mercy, for that is the only way you would appreciate what you have done to these wonderfully gifted Deltans. May He reward you.

    I am speaking to the Government of Delta led by Senator (Dr) Ifeanyi Okowa – an obvious beneficiary of government scholarships and much more benefits that responsible and progressive governments offer.

    My name is Efe Duku.

     

  • 200 girls to study medicine abroad under Sokoto govt. sponsorship

    Gov. Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State, says his administration has concluded plans to send 200 students to India and other countries to study medicine.

    ImageFile: 200 girls to study medicine abroad under Sokoto govt. sponsorship
    Gov. Tambuwal: Working to save girl-child education in Sokoto

    Gov. Tambuwal made the disclosure in Sokoto on Monday night at a media parley to commemorate the 2017 Democracy Day.

    The governor said majority of those to be sponsored would be girls.

    “Discussions are in top gear with a university in India to send one hundred youths, mostly women, to study medicine.

    “This is to shore up the number of women medical doctors in the state, hence, encourage more women to seek medical services in the hospitals.

    “We are also discussing with other universities across the world, with a view to send another batch of one hundred youths to study various medical professional fields like pharmacy, dentistry, radiography and medical laboratory science, among others.”

    Tambuwal explained that the programme was part of ongoing efforts to reposition the education sector in the state.

    The governor stressed that the administration would continue to “take the bull by the horn” and encourage more people in the state to acquire qualitative education in spite of dwindling resources.

    “This is sequel to the desire of the state government to provide more efficient healthcare services to the people of the state,” he said.

    Tambuwal also spoke on other interventions in the health sector, saying that the government had set up a malaria control agency, with a view to taming the disease, which he described as deadlier than HIV/AIDS and cancer.

    He said that a contributory health agency has been established by the government to utilise some idle funds from the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), to provide affordable healthcare services to the people.

    “The state government had since provided N100 million as take-off grant to the agency, while the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, had also paid N1 million to it.

    ”Communities across the state are also being sensitized to key into the scheme, with a view to ensuring state-wide coverage,” Tambuwal added.

    He disclosed that the government had since brought all primary healthcare services under one roof, to enhance access and efficiency.

  • Recession: FG to scrap sponsorship of foreign scholarships

    Recession: FG to scrap sponsorship of foreign scholarships

    …Says policy will be restricted to indigenous universities

    The Federal Government on Wednesday said it will revisit its scholarship programmes which overtly favour foreign universities at the expense of the indigenous ones.

    This was revealed in Abuja by the Executive Secretary of the Petroleum Technology Development Fund, PTDF, Dr Bello Gusau.

    Gusau while speaking with Vice Chancellors of Federal Universities on the policy review said: ​”​The present scholarship arrangement, which is disproportionately focused on the Overseas Scholarship Scheme, is no longer sustainable and therefore needs to be reversed​.”

    ​A statement by Mr Kalu Otisi, PTDF Head, Press and External Relations Unit, quoted Gusau as saying that there would be a new strategic agenda that would govern the training and capacity building programmes of the Fund.

    “At the centre of the agenda is the domestication of all PTDF training and capacity building programmes, with the implication that Nigerian universities will now play a greater role in the process as partners and major stakeholders.

    “The bulk of the scholarship for both the Masters and PhD’s to be offered going forward, would be for training in Nigerian universities.

    “We are also open to collaboration, especially through the split-site Ph.D programme,’’ he said.

    Gusau said the meeting with the Vice-Chancellors was to agree on relevant terms as well as gather sufficient information that will assist the Fund in the planning and implementation process.

    Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission (NUC), Prof. Abubakar Rasheed, lauded the initiative, saying it tallied with the vision to collectively reform post-graduate training in Nigeria.

    Abubakar described PTDF as the single most important intervention agency outside the education family intervening to build capacity in select areas in the country.