RSG Moves To Save 520 Students Abroad …Agrees To Pay Outstanding Fees

The Rivers state Government has disclosed is readiness to pay all outstanding tuition fees of remaining 520 Rivers students in various stages of studies under the Special Overseas Scholarship Programme.
This was contained in a letter signed by the Secretary to the State Government Mr. Kenneth Kobani and addressed to all the affected institutions through the Rivers State Sustainable Development Agency (RSSDA).
The Acting Executive Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Rivers State Sustainable development Agency (RSSDA) Mr. Godwin Poi, described the move by the Governor as a commendable feat to save the students from being expelled by their respective institutions.
Mr. Poi who displayed a copy of the letter from the Governor at a news briefing in his office also said that the development would boost the morale of the affected students to continue to take their studies seriously as the Government has not abandoned them as well as serve as encouragement to parents that the government was doing something about the plight of their children.
According to him, the Government has so far released over N700 million to pay tuition fees of all final year students studying abroad under the programme stressing that within the next two weeks all final year students will have their tuition fees paid to enable them complete their programme and return to contribute to the development of the state.
It would be recalled that the special overseas scholarship being handled by the Rivers State Sustainable Development Agency (RSSDA) was initiated by former Governor Amaechi in 2005.
Between 2008-2014, over 2118 Rivers Students have benefitted from the programme out of which 713 have graudated leaving 713 still abroad.
The Tide also learnt that, out of the 713 abroad, 193 are final year students, while 340 others who have sat for their entrance examinations were yet to depart the country for the programme.
Mr. Poi said that the Agency was waiting for further directive from the Governor, Chief  Nyesom Wike on the handover of the overseas scholarship’s to the Rivers State Scholarship board assuring that the Agency would be ready to undertake any responsibilities assigned to it by the Governor.