-NIMASA, a federal agency has been alleged to have abandoned students on scholarships in Philippines

-The students were also alleged to be living in terrible conditions in the country

-Efforts to get the agency’s side of the story has proved futile as at the time of filing this report

Photo credit: Nigerian Seafarers Development Programme (NSDP) page on Facebook

The federal government has been accused of abandoning students sent to study in the Philippines.

The students are supposed to be enjoying scholarships from the National Seafarers Development Programme (NSDP) launched by the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) in 2009, but are reportedly having difficult times in the country as a result of the abandonment.

These students were alleged to be sent to study Marine Engineering, Nautical Science and Naval Architecture in the following schools: University of Perpetual Help System Dalta, Lyceum of the Philippines University and University of Cebu.

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The programme was launched by President Goodluck Jonathan administration with a view to bridging the projected employment gap in the seafaring profession.

Legit.ng gathered that the students are alleged to be living pitiful conditions.

The students allegedly claim the agency refused to do anything about their situation despite their series of letters demanding for urgent attention.

According to Edmond Steve who wrote to Legit.ng, “the most annoying part is that they told these students to be good ambassadors because they are representing their country and then I ask this question, in what way are they representing their country? Is it by living under tension, by starvation, by calling them names in front of other nationalities or by pushing them to the world? "

Steve also alleged that the students are under attack on daily basis as a result of their situation by the Philippine officials.

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He said: ‘These people are so wicked, heartless, cruel to the extent of sending five final year students who stood against their oppression and suffering back home, in other to threaten the ones left."

However, efforts to get the reaction from NIMASA proved abortive as at the time of filing this report.

Meanwhile, the Nigerian federal government has concluded plans with Russia to build nuclear power plants in two states of the country.

SORSE: Philnews at kami.com.ph