ADVERTISEMENT
  • The Membership Club
  • PT Hausa
  • About Us
  • Advert Rates
  • Careers
  • Contact Us
Tuesday, March 9, 2021
Premium Times Nigeria
  • Home
  • COVID-19
  • News
    • Headline Stories
    • Top News
    • More News
    • Foreign
  • Investigations
  • Business
    • News Reports
    • Financial Inclusion
    • Analysis and Data
    • Business Specials
    • Opinion
    • Oil/Gas Reports
      • FAAC Reports
      • Revenue
  • Opinion
  • Health
    • News Reports
    • Investigations
    • Data and Infographics
    • Health Specials
    • Features
    • Events
    • Primary Health Tracker
  • Agriculture
    • News Report
    • Research & Innovation
    • Data & Infographics
    • Special Reports/Features
    • Investigations
    • Interviews
    • Markets
  • Arts/Life
    • Arts/Books
    • Kannywood
    • Lifestyle
    • Music
    • Nollywood
    • Travel
  • Sports
    • Football
    • More Sports News
    • Sports Features
  • Projects
    • Parliament Watch
    • Panama Papers
    • Paradise Papers
    • AGAHRIN
  • Home
  • COVID-19
  • News
    • Headline Stories
    • Top News
    • More News
    • Foreign
  • Investigations
  • Business
    • News Reports
    • Financial Inclusion
    • Analysis and Data
    • Business Specials
    • Opinion
    • Oil/Gas Reports
      • FAAC Reports
      • Revenue
  • Opinion
  • Health
    • News Reports
    • Investigations
    • Data and Infographics
    • Health Specials
    • Features
    • Events
    • Primary Health Tracker
  • Agriculture
    • News Report
    • Research & Innovation
    • Data & Infographics
    • Special Reports/Features
    • Investigations
    • Interviews
    • Markets
  • Arts/Life
    • Arts/Books
    • Kannywood
    • Lifestyle
    • Music
    • Nollywood
    • Travel
  • Sports
    • Football
    • More Sports News
    • Sports Features
  • Projects
    • Parliament Watch
    • Panama Papers
    • Paradise Papers
    • AGAHRIN
Premium Times Nigeria
BUA Group Ad BUA Group Ad BUA Group Ad
ADVERTISEMENT
President Muhammadu Buhari in China with transport minister Rotimi Amaechi with scholarship students of the Chinese Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC). [PHOTO CREDIT: Official twitter handle of the presidency]

President Muhammadu Buhari in China with transport minister Rotimi Amaechi alongside scholarship students of the Chinese Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC). [PHOTO CREDIT: Official twitter handle of the presidency]

Buhari keeps mum on ministers hijacking railway scholarship while meeting students in China

byIfeoluwa Adeyemo
September 6, 2018
3 min read

While the presidency has kept mum on the controversial railway scholarship awarded relations of senior government officials by the Chinese Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), President Muhammadu Buhari met with Nigerian students undergoing training on railway transportation in China.

The meeting held while Mr Buhari was in China for the 7th Summit of the Forum on China — Africa Cooperation (FOCAC 2018).

In a post on Twitter by the Presidency, Sunday, the training on railway transport was one of the key elements of the infrastructure partnership between both nations.

The tweet read, “President @MBuhari today met with Nigerian students undergoing training on railway transportation in China. One of the key elements of the infrastructure partnership with the Chinese Govt is training / capacity-building for Nigerian professionals”.

President @MBuhari today met with Nigerian students undergoing training on railway transportation in China. One of the key elements of the infrastructure partnership with the Chinese Govt is training / capacity-building for Nigerian professionals. #PMBinChina2018 #PMBAtFOCAC7 pic.twitter.com/J506qjzgdi

— Presidency Nigeria (@NGRPresident) September 2, 2018

On July 30, this newspaper reported how the CCECC had concluded the selection of successful applicants for its controversial railway scholarship.

The scholarship, which involved sponsorship of over 40 Nigerian undergraduate students in Chinese universities to study railway engineering is part of the CCECC’s corporate social responsibility, having benefitted from a major railway and other construction projects across Nigeria.

Rather than make the scholarship available for all eligible Nigerian youth, the scholarship slots were simply shared among wards of select government ministers and other top public officials.

The top officials, who benefitted were identified in a document used by the construction firm, CCECC, to permit selected candidates to participate in the scholarship interview.

RelatedNews

Tenure Extension: I can remain in office till 2023 or 2024 — Adamu

Buhari, Gbajabiamila, Okowa salute Osinbajo at 64

Nigeria to establish specialised courts on GBV – Malami

Buhari’s Chief of Staff, Gambari, PS State House, others receive COVID-19 vaccines

On June 20, at the ministry of transport which coordinated the application process, scores of young Nigerians, who travelled long distances from all over the country, besieged the ministry complex to submit applications for the scholarships.

To their amazement, authorities at the transport ministry rejected their applications, saying no such opportunities exist. The youth then protested, and at a point blocked the ministry’s entrance.

To douse escalating tension by the restless youth, the permanent secretary of the ministry, Sabiu Zakari, issued a press statement dismissing claims that the Chinese firm was offering “railway engineering scholarships”.

What Mr Zakari did not state in his press release was that his office had shared the available scholarship slots among top government officials.

Dangote adbanner 728x90_2 (1)

Regardless of the claim that the scholarship was false, the youth stormed the CCECC headquarters the following day, which was the scheduled date for the commencement of the interviews.

The Chinese firm was conducting interviews for about 42 shortlisted applicants in the scholarship scheme that would see successful candidates train as railway engineers in China.

On getting there, the applicants found out that, without a signed letter by a minister or permanent secretary, they were not be allowed to participate in the interview.

Only candidates who had been nominated by top officials were allowed for the interview.

In July, PREMIUM TIMES learnt that Independent Corruption Practices Commission (ICPC) commenced investigations into the allegations.

ADVERTISEMENT

Although PREMIUM TIMES cannot establish that the students visited by Mr. Buhari are the same ‘connected youth’ who got their scholarships to China through the controversial process, the ICPC was told by CCECC officials that only the candidates nominated by ministers and other top officials of the Buhari administration were allowed to take part in the selection interview and made the final list.

The CCECC also told the investigators that the names of students finally selected had been submitted to the Chinese Embassy for processing, sources in the ICPC told PREMIUM TIMES.

CCECC Headquaters in Abuja.
CCECC Headquaters in Abuja.

According to sources, the CCECC was invited on Thursday, July 5. It sent its representatives and they “cooperated with the investigators,” the source said.

“They confirmed everything you people wrote. It was exactly as you reported,” a source at the agency told PREMIUM TIMES.

The CCECC officials also reportedly told the investigators they had concluded the selection process from the list which they claimed they got from the transport ministry.

The controversial railway scholarship is, however, not the only one being provided by the CCECC, which is apparently focusing on education as its CSR.

Shortly after the scandal, the CCECC and Chinese government offered more scholarships on railway transportation to university students in the country.

One of such was the award of scholarships to 30 students from the Ahmadu Bello University.

  • WhatsApp
  • Tweet
  • Email
  • Print
  • Telegram
  • More
  • Share on Tumblr
  • Pocket

Support PREMIUM TIMES' journalism of integrity and credibility

Good journalism costs a lot of money. Yet only good journalism can ensure the possibility of a good society, an accountable democracy, and a transparent government.

For continued free access to the best investigative journalism in the country we ask you to consider making a modest support to this noble endeavour.

By contributing to PREMIUM TIMES, you are helping to sustain a journalism of relevance and ensuring it remains free and available to all.

Donate


TEXT AD: To advertise here . Call Willie +2347088095401...



JOIN THE CONVERSATION

  • Disqus (39)
premiumtimes



PT Mag Campaign AD

Previous Post

Global economy can reap $26trn by fighting climate change – Okonjo-Iweala

Next Post

Police officer beheaded in Jos

Ifeoluwa Adeyemo

Ifeoluwa Adeyemo

More News

Maitama District hospital

Report highlights challenges African countries face in achieving UHC

March 8, 2021
COVID-19: Nigeria records 479 new cases, eight deaths

Nigeria distributes COVID-19 vaccines to states

March 8, 2021
Naira and Dollars

Naira falls as CBN introduces forex promo

March 8, 2021
Gambo Aliyu, the Director-General of the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA)

#IWD2021: HIV more prevalent among young Nigerian women than men – Official

March 8, 2021
IGP, Mohammed Adamu

Tenure Extension: I can remain in office till 2023 or 2024 — Adamu

March 8, 2021
Central bank of Nigeria (CBN)

MAN, LCCI, experts speak on CBN’s Naira for Dollar policy

March 8, 2021
Next Post
NIGERIA: Nigerian police force

Police officer beheaded in Jos

Osun State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola [Photo Credit: Osun Defender]

Aregbesola appoints new chief of staff

Discussion about this post

Search

#EndSARS: Latest Updates




Polaris Bank


JAIZ Ad


Access Bank Ad


NITDA Ad





Glo Ad

Subscribe to News via Email

Enter your email address and receive notifications of news by email.

Join 1,630,578 other subscribers.

Advertisement






netherland biz school Advert



Zenith Advert

ADVERTISEMENT

Our Digital Network

  • PT Hausa
  • Election Centre
  • Human Trafficking Investigation
  • Centre for Investigative Journalism
  • National Conference
  • Press Attack Tracker
  • PT Academy
  • Dubawa
  • LeaksNG
  • Campus Reporter

Resources

  • Oil & Gas Facts
  • List of Universities in Nigeria
  • LIST: Federal Unity Colleges in Nigeria
  • NYSC Orientation Camps in Nigeria
  • Nigeria’s Federal/States’ Budgets since 2005
  • Malabu Scandal Thread
  • World Cup 2018
  • Panama Papers Game
  • Our Digital Network
  • About Us
  • Resources
  • Projects
  • Data & Infographics
  • DONATE

All content is Copyrighted © 2020 The Premium Times, Nigeria

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • COVID-19
  • News
    • Headline Stories
    • Top News
    • More News
    • Foreign
  • Investigations
  • Business
    • News Reports
    • Financial Inclusion
    • Analysis and Data
    • Business Specials
    • Opinion
    • Oil/Gas Reports
      • FAAC Reports
      • Revenue
  • Agriculture
    • News Report
    • Research & Innovation
    • Data & Infographics
    • Special Reports/Features
    • Investigations
    • Interviews
    • Markets
  • Arts/Life
    • Arts/Books
    • Kannywood
    • Lifestyle
    • Music
    • Nollywood
    • Travel
  • Sports
    • Football
    • More Sports News
    • Sports Features
  • Projects
    • Panama Papers
    • Paradise Papers
    • Parliament Watch
    • AGAHRIN
  • Opinion
  • PT Hausa
  • The Membership Club
  • Dubawa
    • Dubawa NG
  • About Us
    • Advert Rates
  • Careers
  • Contact Us
  • Digital Store
  • DONATE

All content is Copyrighted © 2020 The Premium Times, Nigeria

Our website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.
loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.