Tag Archives: Abroad

Dickson moves to rescue stranded scholarship students abroad.

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The Bayelsa State Governor, Mr. Seriake Dickson, is worried about the plight of state’s students studying abroad under his administration’s scholarship scheme.

The students were said to be having a tough time over non-payment of their fees with the schools threatening to expel them.

A human rights activist, Aluzu Augustine, particularly raised the issue of Bayelsa students stranded at the Kings University College, Ghana.

Aluzu raised the concern sequel to a letter addressed to the students by the Registrar of the school, Simion Peter Isekpo, threatening to expel the students if Dickson failed to pay their fees.

The letter said in part: “Management of the university wishes to inform all students being sponsored by the Bayelsa State Scholarship Board that should your outstanding and current fees not be paid by October 15, 2016 deadline, the university would have no choice but expel you from the university on October 16, 2016.

“Also affected undergraduate and postgraduate students who have completed their programme would not be allowed to participate in the forthcoming congregation in November 2016”.

Already, it was gathered that the Ghanaian school banned the affected students from participating in school activities, but had yet to issue a circular expelling them.

“We have been told that the governor is sending a delegation to our school. But for now we have been stopped from taking parts in school activities.

“Those of us in hostels had been asked to vacate. We are just hanging around waiting for the governor”, an affected student who spoke in confidence said.

But the governor was said to be handling the matter including a similar situation in the United Kingdom with urgency through his Senior Special Assistant on Students’ Welfare, Mr. Owoupele Jeremiah.

Jeremiah confirmed that Dickson had directed that funds should be released for the immediate payment of the students to enable them participate in examinations and access their certificates.

He said: “Today the governor told me he had graciously given approval and directive for release of funds to quickly address the payment issues for Kings College, Lincoln and universities in the UK whose certificates are pending.

“A well-structured payment plan has been established to be implemented phase by phase by the board .

“This will allow the government to address them so that their certificates can be released to enable them use same for their various endeavours.

“While some may find this development with skepticism it is intended to let the public know that the government is responsive and willing to deal with issues of development in human capital.

“The resources are lean but with a pyramid of preference the needs will be met eventually. The scholarship board will do the needful and the affected students will receive their privileges restored in the affected institutions”.

When contacted, Aluzu said: “We have been informed by a reliable source in Kings College that the students are aware of the impending visit of Bayelsa state Government to their institution and they are waiting for them. Nothing concrete so far

“We pray the Government truly do something this time around and not just another hokum talk like we witnessed in 2013 because education remains the bedrock of every society”.

Why banks suspended payment card use abroad.

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FACTS emerged on Tuesday that banks in the country decided to stop their naira debit cards from working abroad after the Central Bank of Nigeria asked them to adopt the interbank foreign exchange rate as the basis for charging customers for foreign currency-denominated transactions.

Deposit Money Banks, including Standard Chartered Bank, Stanbic IBTC Bank and Guaranty Trust Bank Plc, had on Friday announced the suspension of the cash withdrawal from Automatic Teller Machines and PoS terminal transactions abroad using naira debit cards.

Also suspended by the banks are online transactions denominated in foreign currencies.

Top officials close to the development told our correspondent on Tuesday that the CBN had during the last Bankers’ Committee meeting held in Lagos last week directed the banks to add only N5 profit margin to the official interbank rate on all foreign exchange-related transactions carried out with naira debit and credit cards.

The development, the officials said, forced the banks to stop all foreign transactions on their payment cards.

A top official of a tier-1 bank, who spoke under the condition of anonymity, said, “During the last Bankers’ Committee in Lagos, the CBN directed banks to add only N5 to the official interbank rate of N305 to the dollar, or whichever rate is prevailing at the interbank market. Banks said this was not possible because the lenders had been sourcing dollars at rates above N400 per dollar to run their card services. We could not get dollars from the interbank market.

“We have to sell at the rate we sourced it. How can we charge say N310 per dollar for something we sourced at around N400 per dollar. This is why the banks decided that rather than lose, we should just stop it. The CBN has given the directive and we have to cope, because we will give returns. So, rather than being found wanting, it is better to stop the forex transactions on our naira debit cards.”

The decision of the banks to stop foreign currency-related transactions on naira debit cards has affected intending travellers and the sUnited Kingdom and Canadian visa applicants, with many of them finding it difficult to pay for their visa applications online with naira debit cards.

Sources told our correspondent on Tuesday that the CBN had wanted banks to stop dollar transactions on naira debit cards, arguing that only few Nigerians travelled abroad to use their naira debit cards to withdraw dollars and shop.

“I think it is a strategy by the CBN to reduce the dollar demand. They think if they reduce demand for dollar, the exchange rate will come down. They know that if they ask banks to add just N5 to the official interbank rate as their fees, many of us will not be able to cope and we will back down,” a top official in another tier-1 bank said.

The decision by some of the banks to suspend naira debit card usage overseas and online forex transactions came barely one week after the CBN had raised concerns about what it called the indiscriminate and suspicious manner in which some bank customers were spending dollars and other foreign currencies abroad through their naira debit cards.

Consequently, the regulator said it had concluded that bank customers who spent above the $50,000 annual forex limit it imposed would be barred from the nation’s forex market.

The Director, Banking Supervision, CBN, Mrs. Tokunbo Martins, stated this after the 329th Bankers’ Committee meeting in Lagos on Wednesday.

She said, “In the CBN’s move to manage the demand for forex, there was a rule that people were not allowed to withdraw more than $50,000 annually on their naira debit cards.

“For a while, the policy has been abused by bank customers, and the CBN has not taken any step to that effect. We have decided to take the step now to enforce the rule. So, we want members of the public to remember that that rule is in place.

“All your accounts are linked to a particular Bank Verification Number. Now, that the BVN only allows you to withdraw only $50,000 per annum, if people continue to breach that rule, they will lose access to the forex market.”

On Wednesday, the country’s external reserves hit an 11-year low of $24.21bn, according to data posted on the CBN website.

This means a limited amount of dollars will be available at the official interbank spot market, fuelling concerns over another round of depreciation of the naira.

The foreign exchange reserves fell by $600m in two weeks before shedding $1bn in four weeks, the CBN statistics showed.

Court Rejects Metuh’s Request To Travel Abroad For Treatment

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A Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday dismissed an application by the National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, Mr. Olisa Metuh, asking for the release of his passport to enable travel to the United Kingdom for medical treatment.
Justice Okon Abang in rejecting the request in a ruling, held that the court lacked jurisdiction to order the release of Metuh’s passport having earlier directed that it should be deposited with the Chief Registrar of the Court throughout the period of the PDP spokesperson’s ongoing trial.
“The law is settled and required no restatement that when a court has made an order, the court lacks jurisdiction to set aside the order or vary the order,” Justice Abang ruled.
Justice Abang also ruled that the prosecution – the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission – having expressed fear that Metuh could jump bail, “the court must be very careful in deciding such complex application.”
“What the court needs to do is to balance the conflicting rights of parties,” the judge ruled.
He ruled that Metuh failed to adduce any evidence that his spinal cord-related ailment which he sought to treat at London Royal Hospital could not be treated in any of the nation’s teaching hospitals and the new hospital in Akwa Ibom State, which he said had been adjudged to be of international standard.
He held that Metuh could not ask for the release of his passport as of right without placing sufficient materials before the court.
The judge ruled, “This is not a sentimental issue. This is not the issue of sympathy. It is purely an issue of the law.
“Chief Olisa Metuh cannot casually apply for the release of his passport as of right.
“Chief Olisa Metuh filed the application as if it is a simple matter. It is not a simple matter.”
Credit: Punch

Stranded Nigerian Students Abroad Write Minister, Demand Payment Of Allowances

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Over 300 Nigerians on Federal Government Bilateral Agreement Education Scholarship Scheme abroad have petitioned the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, demanding the full payment of their 2015 stipends, including their allowances and return tickets for graduating students.

The students, under the aegis of “Ph.D and Senior Postgraduate Students on BEA Scholarship,” said they did not receive their entitlements between January and December 2015 thereby causing them hardship.

The scheme is a bilateral agreement between the Nigerian government, through the ministry of education and the federal scholarship board, and other countries to train students in various fields while the home government takes care of their upkeep during their stay in the host countries.

It is the largest federal government scholarship scheme with students in Russia, China, Ukraine, Cuba, Hungary, Egypt, Morocco and Algeria.

In the letter dated January 3, 2016 and signed by their president, O.G Ezinkwo, the students, numbering 375, told the minister that they and 600 other beneficiaries around the world had been abandoned for 11 months with no source of livelihood due to the inability of the government to promptly release their stipends.

They said the development had exposing them to very dangerous and pernicious situation in foreign lands.

They claimed that every year Nigerian scholarship students always had to be evicted from their accommodation due to inability to pay, visas and passports get expired with no funds to renew them.

They also stated that in the process some of the students became sick and could not be treated due to the lack of the mandatory health insurance and were always being threatened with expulsion on an annual basis.

Credit: PremiumTimes

Why Banks Stopped Naira ATM Cards Usage Abroad

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Indications have emerged on why banks stopped the usage of naira debit and credit cards outside the country. According to industry sources, the decision was reached because banks could no longer provide foreign exchange to settle the foreign transactions.

 
It was gathered that in the past three months, over $300 million was spent paying for transactions that were done abroad using naira cards. This is aside the business travel allowance, personal travel allowance and payments for ‘eligible for foreign exchange’ products and services.

 
Some banks had last week informed their customers that with effect from Friday, January 1, 2016, they would no longer be able to access funds from their accounts using naira debit or credit cards outside the country.

ATM_International_ban
This had spiked reactions on social media as Nigerians, especially those living and schooling abroad condemned the move.

 
However, a banking industry source explained that “For the last two to three months we spent over $200 million to $300 million dollars paying for naira cards.

 
“People carry 10 cards, travel and withdraw cash and they use these dollars to buy gold, air freshener, candle and other things in five to 10 suit cases, what they forget is that the money they spend is our reserves.

“The result is that we are unable to pay the owners of the card, MasterCard and Visacard because there is not enough foreign exchange to allot to them and if you don’t pay them you have a country risk and credibility issues for the country” the source elaborated.

 
The unofficial value of the Nigerian currency, the naira, has plunged because of the fall in the oil price which is its main export, as the country has so far spent billions of dollars propping up the currency since it fixed the exchange rate in February and tightened trading rules to curb speculation.

 

The nation’s foreign exchange reserves had continued to decline falling to $29.34 billion as at December 22, 2015 according to figures on the website of the central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

 

Meanwhile, the CBN has denied giving the directive on the stoppage of naira credit and debit cards use outside the country to banks. Although the ban has been said to be personal decisions of the banks, insider sources within the apex bank said the decision has received the support of the central bank which has taken several steps to reduce dollar outflow.

 
In June, the central bank had banned businesses from accessing hard currency to import about 40 items. The list included Indian incense, toothpicks, plastic and rubber products, soap and even private jets. The amount that Nigerians could spend on credit cards abroad had already been reduced by the banks.

 

 

Credit : Today.ng

Nigerians Abroad Sent $21 Billion Home In 2015

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With about $21 billion sent home by Nigerians in diaspora in 2015, the country is the sixth largest receiver of remittances in the world, the Migration of Remittance Factbook 2016 has shown.

The country is also by far the largest receiver of remittances in sub-Saharan Africa, receiving a total of $34.8 billion this year.

The report, which relied on data gathered from January to December 1, 2015, was compiled by the Global Knowledge Partnership on Migration and Development with support from the World Bank, German, Swedish and Swiss governments.

An analysis of the report also shows that the United States and the United Kingdom are by far the most lucrative destinations for Nigerian migrants. Nigerians at home received a total of $9.4 billion ($5.7 billion from the US and $3.7 billion from the UK) from both countries in 2015.

According to the report, the U.S. is the top remittance-sending country in the world. A total of $56.3 billion was sent out of the US to other parts of the world. The second largest remittance-sending country is Saudi Arabia with $36.9 billion followed by Russia ($32.6 billion), Switzerland ($24.7billion) and Germany ($20.8 billion).

The report also shows that the cost of sending money within Africa is the second most expensive in the world (the most expensive being the cost of sending money between Australia to the South Pacific country of Vanuatu).

For every $200 remitted from South Africa to Zambia, senders are charged 19 per cent. The cost is 17.4 per cent to send the same amount from South Africa- Botswana and 17.3 per cent from Tanzania to Uganda.

In comparison, it cost just 0.6 per cent to send the same amount of money from Saudi Arabia to Nepal and 3.1 per cent from the United Arab Emirate to anywhere in the world.

Credit: Sun

Lamorde Reportedly Sick, Flown Abroad For Treatment

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Former Chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibrahim Lamorde is sick and has been flown abroad for medical attention, his lawyer, Festus Keyamo said.

Keyamo made the revelation yesterday when he appeared before the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petition to represent the former EFCC boss.

But the senate probe committee has threatened to issue a warrant of arrest against Lamorde if he fails to appear before it on November 24.

Lamorde is accused of non-remitting recoveries by EFCC to the tune of N2.051trn, comprising seized properties, assets and funds of individuals under investigation by the commission.

George Uboh, the Chief Executive Officer of Panic Alert Security Systems, a property and financial recovery firm brought the petition against Lamorde.

Credit: NationalMirror

CBN Names 12 BVN Registration Centres Abroad

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The Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN has named twelve approved centres across Europe, North America, Asia, Middle East and Africa to facilitate the Bank Verification Number, BVN registration exercise for Nigerian banks’ customers in the Diaspora. The approved centres include the ones in Washington DC, Atlanta, New York and Houston, United States of America; Johannesburg, South Africa; Beijing, Guangzhou and Shanghai, China; New Delhi, India; London and Leicester, United Kingdom; and Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

CBN also disclosed that, “Online Integrated Solutions OIS has been engaged to establish stations for data capture and generation of BVN at a fee of GBP30 per transaction, payable by the customer. The company is expected to capture necessary data for online transmission to the Nigeria Interbank Settlement System, NIBSS who would therefore generate the BVN and communicate same to the customer.

Read More: vanguardngr

CBN Begins BVN Registration For Nigerians Abroad

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As part of its efforts towards the full implementation of the BVN project, the central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, in collaboration with key stakeholders in the Nigerian banking industry has finalized the guidelines for the enrollment of Nigerian banks’ customers in Diaspora.

The plan is to roll out this operation in 12 locations in the first phase. These locations are Leicester, New York, Atlanta, Washington DC, Houston, Johannesburg, Beijing, Shangai, Ghuanghzou, Dubai and New Deihi. The second phase will include locations with lower concentrations of Nigerians which will be accommodated through schedule sessions for defied periods.

This was contained in a circular obtained from the CBN website yesterday signed by its director of Banking and Payments System Department, Dipo Fatokun, with Ref: BPS/DIR/GEN/05/009 addressed to all deposit money banks and the general public.

The circular, which provided the framework for the enrollment of Nigerian banks’ customers in Diaspora for bank verification number issuance, stated that Nigerian banks customers in Diaspora could present themselves for enrollment for the BVN without travelling to Nigeria.

The CBN advised customers of Nigerian banks to present themselves to the offshore branches/subsidiaries of any Nigerian deposit money bank, where such facilities have been made available for the enrollment for the BVN.

Read More: nigerianpilot

Terrorism: Court Grants Sen. Ndume Leave To Travel Abroad

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An Abuja Federal High Court yesterday granted an application by Sen. Ali Ndume, who is charged with terrorism to enable him travel to Saudi Arabia for the lesser Hajj.

Ndume was arraigned after he was implicated by a suspected member of the Boko Haram sect, Ali Konduga, who has since been convicted and sentenced for the offence.?

Delivering a short ruling on the Senator’s application, the trial judge, Justice Gabriel Kolawole, ordered the court’s Deputy Chief Registrar (DCR) Litigation, to release Ndume’s passport and other travel documents to him.

Justice Kolawole also ordered Ndume to return the travel documents to the DCR within 72 hours of his return to the country. Ndume’s application, which was dated June 23, 2015, and moved by his counsel, Miss Rose Okotie-Eboh, was not opposed to by the prosecution counsel, Mr Muslim Hassan.

The Senator, who had been granted such applications in the past, will embark on the trip to Mecca on July 3. He had deposited his passport and other travel documents with the court registry in fulfilment of the bail conditions given him by the court since his arraigned on Dec. 3, 2013.

Credit: NAN

Sick Mu’azu Flown Abroad For Medical Attention

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The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Adamu Mu’azu?,? is sick an??d has been flown abroad?, his office announced Tuesday?.

Mr. Mu’azu? travelled last week for treatment and has remained in an undisclosed hospital abroad, a statement by his media aide, Tony Amadi, said.

“The National Chairman of PDP, Dr. Ahmad Adamu Mu’azu is sick and currently undergoing medical attention abroad and will return to the country as soon as his doctors are satisfied with his medical condition. He left the country last week and hopes to be back soon?,” the statement said.?

“The leader of the party, President Goodluck Jonathan, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the party Chief Tony Anenih and Senate President Senator David Mark and members of the National Working Committee of the party are ?all? aware of the Chairman’s medical trip abroad?.?”

The statement on Mr. Mu’azu’s ill-health appears to be in response to comments made on Monday by the governor of Ekiti State, Ayo Fayose, accusing the PDP chairman of secretly traveling to Singapore for treatment, during the recent elections, without informing his party’s presidential candidate, President Goodluck Jonathan.

Mr. Fayose, who spoke on Channels television, said even when the chairman traveled recently, for treatment for his left hand, he told some people he had “deceived the president”.

Mr. Fayose challenged the PDP chairman to deny his claims.

The Ekiti governor accuses Mr. Mu’azu of betraying the party and Mr. Jonathan, and has demanded his resignation.

Meanwhile, the PDP chief has appealed to party members to be patient, expressing hope that “the travails facing the party will soon wither away and the party will be a united opposition to the incoming All Progressive Congress for the overall good of Nigeria”?.

Credit: premiumtimesng

FG To Begin Screening Of Degrees Obtained Abroad- NUC

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The Federal Government has constituted a committee to screen certificates obtained by Nigerian students who studied abroad, says Prof. Julius Okojie, the Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission (NUC).

Mr. Okojie made this known while fielding questions from journalists shortly after the presentation of licences to two new private universities on Thursday in Abuja.

According to Mr. Okojie, the committee comprises members from the NUC and the Federal Ministry of Education. “When they come for NYSC, they are referred to the Ministry of Education to look at the quality of their certificates.

“Recently, the ministry decided to set up a joint committee of NUC and the Federal Ministry of Education to look at the quality of those certificates; the committee has been set up but it has not been inaugurated.

“In Ukraine, where we have many of our students for instance, it is not that all the universities are bad; some are really good but it depends on which one.

“Some of our students who attended universities in Ukraine pass through the UK and get a second degree; in some countries, you can buy a certificate in the airport.’’

He said that mere knowing that a foreign university was approved was not enough as the programme pursued by a student might not be approved.

The NUC boss had earlier expressed concern over the quality of universities Nigerian students attend in the West African sub-region, especially in Ghana.

The universities that got provisional licences are Edwin Clark University, Kaigbodo, Delta State, and Hezekiah University, Umudi, Imo State.

Credit: NAN

ISIS Radicalizing Nigerian Students Schooling Abroad, Says FG

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The Federal government, yesterday, alerted a plan by Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) to radicalise Nigerian youth, who were schooling abroad, calling on parents and guardians to monitor their wards closely.

The Coordinator of the National Information Centre (NIC), Mr Mike Omeri stated this while briefing newsmen on security situation in the country, in Abuja, said the call became imperative based on intelligent report at the government’s disposal.

According to him, they are planning to do this through the use of the social media. “The Centre wishes to alert the nation of intelligence reports indicating the radicalisation of our youths through the social media and a variety of other sources. The reports show that these youths who are mostly children of the rich and affluent are being recruited into ISIS…”

Read More: Vanguard

Nigeria To Recall Troops On Foreign Missions To Fight Boko Haram

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Nigeria is considering recalling its soldiers on peacekeeping missions in foreign countries following the need for “troops surge’’ in operational areas in the North-East. Mike Omeri, the Coordinator, National Information Centre, stated this on Thursday in Abuja at a news conference.

The coordinator explained that this was one of the positions of the country at a meeting held between it and some African countries on January 20 in Niamey, Niger Republic. He did not mention the countries involved but said the meeting was necessitated by the “collapse’’ of Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) set up to fight the Boko Haram sect.

Omeri said the sole aim of that meeting was to seek the authorisation from the UN Security Council through the AU to establish a more effective multinational force to confront the insurgents. He said the country’s other positions at that meeting was that Nigeria and her neighbours needed to improve on the effective management of their borders.

Read More: ekekeee.com

 

Gbajabiamila to Sponsor Abandoned Baby for Surgery Abroad

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The Leader of Opposition, House of Representatives, Mr. Femi Gbajabiamila as part of the just concluded Sallah celebration on Tuesday visited Heart of Gold Hospice, Surulere, Lagos to extend his helping hand to children with special needs.

Gbajabiamila who also represents Surulere federal constituency in the National Assembly accompanied by a Surulere community leader, Mr. Agbo Dabiri were received and conducted around the children wards by Proprietor of Heart of Gold Hospice, Mrs Laja Adedoyin.

Gbajabiamila presented the hospice with food and medical items. One of the highlights of the occasion is the privilege of naming a yet-to-be Christened 5month old baby who had hole in his heart. The senior lawmaker named the baby “Emmanuel” and said his choice of name was influenced by indications that “God is with us”. 

The lawmaker after interacting with the children, offered to raise bills required to put Baby Emmanuel in a normal shape including payment for surgery to be carried out abroad. The Hospice had earlier expressed sadness that it’s in short of $7,000 to send the baby for surgery in India.

Mr. Dabiri who is also founder of Ikotun Nursery and Primary School, Surulere also granted full scholarship to one of the children in the Hospice.

Mrs Adedoyin expressed appreciation for the kind gesture of Gbajabiamila and said that the Hospice would continue to thrive on the support of well meaning Nigerians. 

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