Buhari orders payment of fees for stranded NDDC scholars

TRACKING__The director, Corporate Affairs, NDDC, Mr. Charles Odili has disclosed that scholars of the Commission facing hardship abroad over non-remittance of their fees and stipends would be paid by the end of this week, adding that President Muhammadu had given an order to the effect.

Odili explained: “The delay in the remittance of the fees was caused by the sudden death of Chief Ibanga Etang, the then Acting Executive Director, Finance and Administration, EDFA, of the Commission in May.”

“Under the Commission’s finance protocol, only the Executive Director (Finance) and the Executive Director (Projects) can sign for the release of funds from the Commission’s domiciliary accounts with the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN.

“With the death of Chief Etang, the remittance has to await the appointment of a new EDFA.”

Senator Akpabio, the Honourable Minister also said that President Buhari who has been briefed on the protest by students at the Nigerian High Commission in London, has ordered that all steps be pulled to pay the students by the end of this week

Odili further said that the commission expects a new EDFA to be appointed this week and as soon as that is done, the scholars would all be paid,