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Opinions of Thursday, 30 June 2011

Columnist: Ofori, Philomina

Scholarship Students Stranded In Russia.

The attention is being drawn to the government especially the authorities involved to act as a matter of urgency, the plight of we the final year scholarship students stranded in Russia.

We scholarship students are being held and harassed here in Russia with only a little time to the expiration of their Russian visas.

We are stranded by the refusal of the scholarship secretariat through the embassy of unjustifiably halving our shipment allowance, halting of our project allowance and the refusal to pay for hostel and medical arrears which have been stalled since 2009. This is creating and has created a very large backlog of funds to be paid.

We students are now highly indebted to colleagues and schoolmates from other countries since we were compelled to find other sources to pay for these imminent fees. This has led to our reputation and name as scholarship students who have brilliantly excelled in our various fields being tarnished and put to question due to the disgrace and utter ignorance being meted out unto us.

It is painstakingly disappointing that coupled with all hardships that confront us as scholarship students in Russia; our situation is aggravated by the suspension of project allowances and a halving of shipment allowance.

What best explains the fact that though awarded the same scholarship letter, a section of students received their complete shipment and project allowance together with refunds whereas others are subjected to sheer cruelty of being refused refunds, project allowances and in addition a 50% reduction of shipment allowances?

As scholarship students, we have been disgraced and cannot fathom why our long dying desire to serve our nation with our heart and souls has been in every way diminished by the action or inaction of the government especially the parties involved.

We regret to point out a tendency of this situation leading to a possible brain drain which will cost a big blow to our dear nation.

With just a little time left, we final year students must come up with ways of salvaging this very dire situation and is pleading for urgent help as all means of communication with all involved authorities have so far proved futile.

*FINAL YEAR SCHOLARSHIP STUDENTS- NUGS-RUSSIA*