Amnesty Office explains return of student beneficiaries from UK

The Office of the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta and Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme has explained why some beneficiaries on formal education have been returning from the UK, stating that this was not as a result of lack of funds as being speculated.

Media and communication consultant, OweiLakemfa said in a statement that the amnesty office had cleared all payments except a few with foreign exchange component. This according to him, has been delayed because of the Tresury Single Account (TSA) policy of government newly introduced.
Lakemfa also explained that the returning students are doing so because they need to renew their visas. “Students who are returning from the United Kingdom are not doing so due to non-payment of fees or allowances, but because their visas are expiring and are affected by the 28-day window policy of that country. It is in the interest of such students to return as the policy provides for a ten-year ban from entering Britain for anyone caught with expired visa”.

He further explained that the students abroad and in the country on the Amnesty Scholarship Programme have received their payments. “However a few students abroad are yet to be paid because the payments, which have Foreign Exchange components, have to pass through the new TSA Policy at the Central Bank”.

“Before now, there was a backlog of payments, due to the three-month absence of a signing authority in the Amnesty Office following the change of Government and the removal of the former Coordinator.
Upon assumption of office in August, 2015, the new Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Brig General Paul Boroh (Rtd) immediately ensured the clearing of the backlog.