The Bayelsa State government has refuted reports that its indigenes on scholarship in Ghana were denied access to their hostels and stopped from writing their semester examination.
A statement by Mr Jeremiah Owoupele, who is in charge of scholarships welfare, noted that the office had been in constant touch with the authorities of the affected institutions.
The government said that representatives from the state were currently in Accra to sort out any outstanding issues.
The statement continued by saying that although there were some glitches in the payments accruing to the schools, no student from Bayelsa was stopped from enjoying any services rendered by the institutions.
“It has come to the knowledge of the office of the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Scholarship Welfare that news are being circulated about the fate of our students in Ghana who are on state scholarship .
“The said news, which alleged that resulting from non-payment of tuition obligations, our students have been barred from exams and driven out of their official residence, is not true.
“For the avoidance of doubt and record purpose, this is completely untrue. At the moment, efforts are in top gear to settle all the outstanding payments.
“As a matter of fact a team from the state scholarship board is presently in Accra, Ghana to reconcile and ascertain issues to enable it make payments,” the statement read.
The Governor’s aide stated that his office was in constant touch with the students and even spoke to some of the students.
He reiterated that the students were all fine and were not being denied any services as being circulated.
“Representatives of the state are there and a very cordial business relationship exists,” he stated.
He restated the government’s commitment to the ‘total revamping and strategic re-positioning of the education sector’ in the state and pledged that a system was already in place to ensure that any hitches were avoided in the future.
“The Governor has reiterated his commitment to ensuring that obligations were met and a phase by phase payments is already structured to clear all outstanding tuition obligations .
“We are mindful of the commitments and the constraints, but government is also resolute in ensuring that it meets all such obligations,” the statement concluded.
It is the second time in few months that reports of poor funding of Bayelsa students’ scholarship programme are circulating.
In November, there was a report that the inability of the State government to pay the school fees of students on their scholarship scheme studying at King’s College, Ghana, may force the school to send the students back home.
The students were said to be having a tough time over the development with the school authorities, as they are been threatened with expulsion.
A human rights activist, Mr Aluzu Augustine, has expressed concerns following a letter addressed to the students by the Registrar of the school, Mr Simion Isekpo, threatening to expel the students if Bayelsa State government failed to pay their fees.
After the report, the State governor, Mr Seriake Dickson, made provision for funds for the payment of the fees.
A statement by the Commissioner for education, Mr Markson Fefegha, said that the governor gave approval for £300,000 and $450,000 for payment of tuition fees for Bayelsa students studying in various institutions abroad.
- Channels TV