Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) scholarship beneficiaries have staged a protest in the United Kingdom, over the non-payment of their tuition fees and other allowances by the commission.
The protest, which held in London, was posted on the protesting scholars’ Twitter handle, @2019Nddc.
The students also complained that they risk being deported from the United Kingdom over non-payment of school fees.
They lamented that their school fees and maintenance funds have not been paid one year after they were awarded scholarships.
During the protest, which held at the Nigeria High Commission in London, the aggrieved scholars displayed placards with various inscriptions.
In a video of the protest shared online, the protesters insisted on speaking with the President Muhammadu Buhari or the Minister of the NDDC, Godswill Akpabio.
An official of the high commission, who could not be identified, appealed to the protesters for calm.
He said;
My integrity will be at stake if I call somebody else to act as the minister on the telephone. It will not solve your problem. What matters most is that we are giving you our words.
Update on NDDC Scholars Protest in London, We have been deceived every single month for a year now. Enough is enough #NDDC #NDDCProbe @seunokin @NGRPresident @nassnigeria pic.twitter.com/znY8po6Gfj
— NDDC Scholars 2019 (@2019Nddc) August 3, 2020
However, protesters chorused that previous promises made to them by the Federal Government were not kept.
The protesting students insisted that they would not accept part payment of school fees or upkeep being proposed by the Federal Government.
One of the protesters said;
We told them that we want to speak with the presidency. We have given them two hours. After two hours we are going to converge here again to get updates.
So far, we have had the corporation of the police. Initially, it was frustrating. We apologise to Nigerians that have other legitimate businesses to do here. We apologise for the inconvenience. This is necessary and it is what the NDDC has pushed us to do.
NDDC scholars protest update currently ongoing at the high commission.. @SaharaReporters @MobilePunch @NGRPresident @SPNigeria @nassnigeria @PremiumTimesng @BBCAfrica @channelstv @NDDCOnline pic.twitter.com/DkJn29RKvr
— NDDC Scholars 2019 (@2019Nddc) August 3, 2020
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The protest comes at a period when NDDC is battling a probe by the National Assembly over financial recklessness.
See some photos of protesters below;
