Delta State Bursary Board scribe names Interswitch in the N800 digital processing fees

… Says it’s aimed at eliminating fraud in the scheme administered by the board

The Executive Secretary of Delta State Bursary and Scholarships Board, Dr. Godfrey Enita, has tactically agreed that the board is riddled with corruption in the process of arriving at the beneficiaries of its Bursary and scholarships.

Dr. Enita made this know while explaining the reason why the board is asking for N800 from eligible students who want to apply for the scheme. charlesokogene.com had sought his response following a full page advertorial placed by the board on the state’s owned newspaper, Pointer, on June 3, 2024 and, which listed the payment of the N800 with debit card as one of the conditions for applying.

His response was sought on June 6, 2024 through the state Commissioner for Information, Dr. Ifeanyi Osuoza but reply was not got until Monday, June 8 2024.

” I have sent text messages to the Executive Secretary, and he is yet to revert back to me. Please be patient for now, ” Osuoza pleaded with us.

On Monday June 8, Dr. Enita finally replied saying, “From Dr. Godfrey Enita, Executive Secretary, Scholarship Board:👇👇👇👇

The Board opted for ICT solution because of the manifest fraud and disappointments involved in the manual process such as missing application forms; inability to verify State of origin claims and collusion and extortion of vulnerable students who are unable to travel the distance to obtain application forms.

This digital process of Online Application makes the process seamless, and verification of State of origin through NIN possible.

This service is provided by a third party (the consultant), not the Board.

The ICT Solution was adopted by the Board and approved by the State EXCO over 8 years ago and the 800 naira as INTERSWITCH Digital Processing Fees was part of the agreement and students have been quite happy with it.

The process is good because it eliminates human contact as much as possible, the secretary said

As far back as 2015, the board had been in the news mainly for bad reason.

In a celebrated case in . … Court Asaba before …., which made headline in Primum Times on …. the EFCC prosecuted one of the board’s Executive Secretary,…, for diversion of funds from the proceeds of the N800.

Below is the story of the celebrated prosecution as published then by Primum Times on ….2015.

How Delta scholarship board scribe diverted millions in bursary payments – Witness

ByPremium Times December 8, 2015 Reading Time: 2 mins read
A prosecution witness in the ongoing trial of the Executive Secretary of Delta State Scholarship Board, Peter Amromanoh and his accountant, Andrew Nkwor, has told a court how the accused persons opened 28 fake bank accounts to divert bursary payments meant for students.

At the resumed hearing of the case before Justice F. N Azinge of the Delta State High Court sitting in Asaba, the EFCC, through its counsel, Steve Odiase, presented three witnesses.

The Prosecution Witness, PW1, Emmanuel Aworo, a software engineer/consultant engaged by the board to computerize and automate its system for easy access by all Delta students; PW2, Eloho Otiede, a staff of Keystone Bank (former Bank PHB) and account officer of the first accused and the state scholarship board; and PW3, Joy- Ochonu Idoko a senior detective superintendent with the EFCC.

While being led in evidence by Mr. Odiase, the EFCC detective told the court how investigation by the commission, following a petition alleging fraud in the disbursement of Delta State Scholarship funds, discovered that some of the touted beneficiaries were not real.

“In total, about 3,567 names were found to be fake. From the banks we discovered, upon analyses that, about N1.55billion and some fractions was released to the board by the Delta state government, (while) N771.7million was disbursed to beneficiary students as bursary.

“About N38.7million was said to have been expended for administrative purposes, while N24m could not be accounted for,” Ms. Idoko revealed.

Investigations also revealed a flurry of activities in the personal account of the first accused, domiciled in same bank within the period of 2009-2012, with withdrawals to the tune of N24 million through his account officer Eloho and cash deposits of about N19million.

“Amromanoh could also, not explain investments running into millions fixed in joint account with his wife as the later claimed she was not aware of the fixed deposit in their names.

“Amromanoh’s earnings as revealed by his pay slips which were tendered in evidence could not explain the source of the funds in question,” she said.

Prosecution tendered and the court admitted in evidence, despite vigorous objections from counsel to the accused persons.

Justice Azinge then adjourned the hearing till December 9.”




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