The embattled students called on governor Rotimi Amaechi to come to their aid before something else happened.
In an SOS sent to the governor, a copy which was obtained by DailyPost, the stranded students said they were now living from hand to mouth.
The letter reads in part,
“SOS CALL: OUR WELFARE AND THE FATE OF OUR UNREMITTED 4 MONTHS UPKEEP AND ACCOMMODATION ALLOWANCES
Dear Sirs,
It is of utmost necessity that I express our unreserved concern over the non-payments of monthly upkeep and accommodation allowances to students sent on scholarship by the Rivers state government of Nigeria through the Rivers State Sustainable Development Agency (RSSDA) to study in various universities around the globe, especially to those of us currently studying in the United Kingdom.
It has been five (5) months since we last received our allowances.
The last time we received bank alert was June 2014 which was eventually paid in September 2014, and ever since then (July – November), students have been living under hardship with little or no support from our poor parents back home who are now passing through the hurdles of sending money to us abroad when the reverse is supposed to be the case.
All calls to the office have proved abortive as they keep making promises, hence the need for the peoples’ voice as our last resort.
In consequence to our unremitted funds, students have been stranded, disorganised and some are evicted from their flat (s) because they are unable to honour the contract signed with their respective landlords and if not for the help of other students (who also are at risk of been evicted from their homes if their rents are not paid in anytime soon) they would have been homeless and forced to live in refugee camps.
I am writing this open letter to all those that matter in government to please come to our aid especially now that the 2015 general election is fast approaching and the probability of us been paid is less than zero.
With a heavy heart”.
