…Announces Withdrawal Of Scholarship Beneficiaries Overseas
The fiery founder and general overseer of Omega Power Ministries (OPM) Worldwide with headquarters in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Apostle Chibuzor Gift Chinyere, on Thursday, May 4, 2023, stormed Port Harcourt Study Centre, National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), in quest for admission slots for his devotees and admission scheme beneficiaries.
Chinyere, who came with a retinue of his personal staff and security personnel, said that the purpose of his visit bordered on his ministries’ decision to review the OPM’s Overseas University Scholarship Scheme.
“Because of high exchange rate of the US dollars, we are making major changes in our OPM Overseas University Scholarship Scheme. In one of our universities in the United States of America, we pay $45,000 which is almost N20,000,000 for one student alone in one year, while we have just discovered through this visit that it costs less than N150,000 to train one student per session at NOUN. This means that the fees paid for one student in the USA per year can train 1,000 students at the National Open University of Nigeria,” he said.
The director, Port Harcourt Study Centre, Dr. Nnenna Chukwuma, who received the cleric in her office, expressed her gratitude to the pastor for his fact-finding visit.
She said she had written to the OPM requesting for an advocacy appointment and had waited for a response till the Man of God “decided to pay this visit.”
Chukwuma took time to explain the mode of operation of the university as an Open and Distance Learning (ODL) institution.
The director emphasised the advantages of studying via the ODL mode which NOUN promotes and what it means for students to study at their own paces at any place as is entrenched in the motto of the university.
An elated Chinyere, satisfied with Chukwuma’s presentation and explanations said, “One of my biggest dreams is to provide education for the less privileged in the society, but what can I do when my hands are tied. It’s a very painful decision to withdraw our students abroad, but the economy is bad. Bringing them back to NOUN is more advantageous to us because we can sponsor more students with less funds compared to what is happening abroad.”
The cleric said the policy review does not affect scholarship beneficiaries studying in African universities in Ghana, Mauritius, Benin Republic, South Africa, etc.
“If you are enjoying our scholarship in USA, Canada, The UK, Poland, Germany, Turkey, Cyprus, etc., you are advised to contact your matron for arrangements to move your credits to the National Open University of Nigeria or our chosen university in Benin Republic. If you don’t want to relocate back, you are on your own,” he said.
Meanwhile, Apostle Chibuzor Chinyere said that his Ministry is reviewing it’s overseas scholarship.
The clergyman said the decision of the church was because of the high exchange rate which has negatively affected the program.
“Because of high exchange rate of the US dollars, we are making major changes in our OPM Overseas University Scholarship Scheme. In one of our universities in the United States of America, we pay $45,000 which is almost N20,000,000 for one student alone in one year, while we have just discovered through this visit that it costs less than N150,000 to train one student per session at NOUN. This means that the fees paid for one student in the USA per year can train 1,000 students at the National Open University of Nigeria,” he said.
“If you are enjoying our scholarship in USA, Canada, The UK, Poland, Germany, Turkey, Cyprus, etc., you are advised to contact your matron for arrangements to move your credits to the National Open University of Nigeria or our chosen university in Benin Republic. If you don’t want to relocate back, you are on your own,”
“One of my biggest dreams is to provide education for the less privileged in the society, but what can I do when my hands are tied. It’s a very painful decision to withdraw our students abroad, but the economy is bad. Bringing them back to NOUN is more advantageous to us because we can sponsor more students with less funds compared to what is happening abroad.”
The cleric said the policy review does not affect scholarship beneficiaries studying in African universities in Ghana, Mauritius, Benin Republic, South Africa, etc.
