FG Pays Accumulated Allowance Owed To Over 330 Nigeria Students On Scholarship In Russia

Following the publication of a report by Punch few days ago, exposing the failure of the Federal Government to pay the 8 months allowance of Nigeria students on scholarship in Russia, the Federal Government has now paid the allowances owed.

The over 322 Nigerian students are on the Bilateral Educational Agreement scholarship in Russia.
Following the report, reporters gathered on Thursday that the students had since started getting credit alerts on their respective bank accounts.

The power of the press can never be overemphasized!



One of the affected students, Moyosore Ojuri, who is in her second year studying Metallurgical Engineering at the Volgograd State Technical University, Russia, told our correspondent on the telephone that the sum of $4,450 had been paid into her bank account.

The money, she explained, included $4,000 meant for her stipends from January to August; $200 for annual medicals and health insurance, and $250 covering her annual protective clothing.

Ojuri said she hoped that the Federal Government would begin paying them their allowances as at when due and save them from undue hardships.

“Before now, the Federal Government owed us from January to August. But now they have paid us everything. I can pay my accumulated debts and I am sure that I won’t be sent packing from the hostel over unpaid accommodation fees,” she said.

One of the student leaders, Akinola Akindamola, a post-graduate student of the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Volgograd State Technical University, Russia, stated that he and other student leaders were going round to ensure that all of them, especially the new students, had received their allowances.

Akindamola, who is the President of the Senate Committee of Association of Nigerian Scholarship Students in Russia, said, “The payment of the money is in process and I am confident that by the end of today, we would all have been paid. The least problem we want now is to be financially handicapped. We appreciate the Federal Government for their prompt response.”

When contacted, the Director, Press and Public Relations, Federal Ministry of Education, Abuja, Mr. Olu Lipede, confirmed that the Federal Government had paid the students all their entitlements.

Elections are coming, the current government wants to return to office. Anything to kill any negative report tainting the FG's image.
Let's hope that this time next year, the students will not crying again about being owed. Time will tell.

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