FOR THE RECORD: Canadian University Students Fear Deportation After Nigerian State Government Fails To Pay Tuition

Gift Amadi is a political science student at the University of Manitoba who says the Nigerian scholarship agency that sent him to Canada is failing to keep its promises. (Facebook)

Nigerian students say they are struggling to pay rent, eat without allowances from Rivers State Sustainable Development Agency (RSSDA). About $250,000 is owed to the University of Manitoba in tuition fees for students sponsored by a Nigerian government-funded scholarship program, according to the school administration.

CBC report continues:

Gift Amadi says his education and his future are in doubt because he's been abandoned by the Nigerian government agency that brought him to study at the University of Manitoba. 

The political science student is one of almost 250 Nigerian students studying at 14 Canadian universities on a scholarship from a government-funded agency in Nigeria called the Rivers State Sustainable Development Agency.

The agency promised to pay their tuition and provide a $1,100 monthly living allowance.

They haven't received that allowance for 11 months, and much of their tuition fee payment has been delayed too, Amadi said.

The agency and the government that funds the program have left the students to fend for themselves, he said.

"It's not just a delay," said Amadi. "It's more like they don't care. It's not of value to them."

Amadi, who is in his third year at the U of M, said he's behind on his rent and is struggling to feed himself.

"Right now I'm taking classes and I'm thinking of feeding," Amadi said during an evening interview. "I haven't eaten since morning and I'm in class."

About 50 students sponsored by the agency are currently enrolled at the U of M, said Leah Janzen, U of M's vice-president of outreach and engagement. She said she's aware of their situation. 

"I know some of them have accessed our student food bank," Janzen said. "It's a very difficult situation."

The RSSDA owes $2.5 million to Canadian universities, with the majority owed to the U of M, the University of Regina and Simon Fraser University. The agency owes more than $250,000 to the U of M, Janzen said. 

"We remain in contact with this organization, and they're asking us to be patient," she said. "But at this point, we're not sure what to expect from them with regards to those arrears."

Godwin Poi, the acting executive director of the RSSDA, said the Nigerian government is experiencing a revenue shortfall due to plunging oil prices and fluctuations in currency. As a result, the government has not been giving his agency money regularly, he said.

"I can only tell you what the government tells me which is that the funds are not available," said Poi. "Allocations from central government and state government have dwindled and the state government relies predominantly on the central government for funding."

The RSSDA and the government have every intention of paying the universities and the students when the money becomes available, he said.

Students given 30 days to pay tuition

The U of M has asked students to pay their own tuition and many have, Janzen said. 

On average, international students pay $7,000 to $11,000 tuition per term for a full load of classes, much more than Canadian students pay. 

Amadi said he wouldn't be studying at the U of M right now if not for the generosity of his church. 

"I have to take a loan from friends in church. They were able to help me generate some money that I used to pay," Amadi said. "If not, I wouldn't have been able to start classes."

A few weeks ago, after the term began, the RSSDA made a partial payment, but Janzen said the accounts of a dozen students are still two terms in arrears. 

"Our policy is you can't go into a third term having not been able to pay for the previous two terms in their entirety. So we don't want to get to that position with these students," Janzen said. 

Amadi said the university has made it clear to him that the clock is still ticking.

"The school is saying you have just about 30 days left to pay what's left for this term," Amadi told CBC. "If not, I won't be able to register for the winter term."

Amadi said he and other RSSDA students have formed committees aimed at negotiating more lenient treatment from the university. The students are also encouraging family and friends back in Nigeria to pressure on the government and agency to keep their promises, he said.

Leah Janzen, associate vice-president of outreach and engagement at the University of Manitoba, said the RSSDA students are in a "very difficult situation." (Linkedin)

250 Nigerian Students In Canada Risk Deportation Over ₦500m Rivers Govt Debt

TheCable reports that more than 200 Nigerian students schooling in the Canada are on the brink of deportation as a result of the failure of the River states government to fund their scholarships.

Osho Samuel, a graduate student of mechanical engineering in the University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, confirmed the development to TheCable, saying the students have lost all hope.

“This is a national disgrace, considering the fact that these students are here to learn, they’ve lost all hope and I believe strongly that the government can respond and pay their bills,” he said.

“This is a critical situation for the students, they are actually preparing for their exams, they should be writing their exams in the next two weeks.

“And all what they get to think about is the fact that they’ve not been able to pay their fees, the fact that they are on the brink of being deported from Canada not for committing any crime but just coming to study.”

He further revealed that about 50 of the students involved are schooling in Manitoba, while the rest are spread across the country.

CBC, a Canadian news outfit, had earlier reported that about 250 Nigerian students are studying at 14 Canadian universities on a scholarship from the Rivers State Sustainable Development Agency (RSSDA). Gift Amadi (pictured) relayed his experience to CBC, revealing that RSSDA sponsored them to the universities and promised not only to pay their tuition but also provide them with N217,800 ($1,100) monthly income for their rent and feeding.

Amadi said the tuition had not been paid, while their monthly stipend had not come in 11 months, adding that the school has given them 30 days to pay up or drop out.

“It’s not just a delay; it’s more like they don’t care. It’s not of value to them. Right now I’m taking classes and I’m thinking of feeding,” he said.

“I have to take a loan from friends in church. They were able to help me generate some money that I used to pay. If not, I wouldn’t have been able to start classes.

“The school is saying you have just about 30 days left to pay what’s left for this term. If not, I won’t be able to register for the winter term.”

Leah Janzen, the university’s vice-president of outreach and engagement, said the students have been in a very difficult situation, but the school has no assurance that RSSDA would pay up.

“I know some of them have accessed our student food bank, it’s a very difficult situation. We remain in contact with this organization (RSSDA), and they’re asking us to be patient, but at this point, we’re not sure what to expect from them with regards to those arrears,” he said.

“Our policy is you can’t go into a third term having not been able to pay for the previous two terms in their entirety. So, we don’t want to get to that position with these students.”

According to the students, the RSSDA is owing N500 million ($2.5 million) to universities in Canada, with the majority owed to the University of Manitoba, the University of Regina and Simon Fraser University.
Godwin Poi, acting executive director of the RSSDA, has blamed the development on the fall in the price of oil, saying efforts were in place to address the situation.