Alleged SIWES scam at ITF, group calls for EFCC probe

The Progressive Students Movement (PSM), a pan-Africa socialist movement, has urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate alleged six years of unpaid Students Industrial Work Scheme (SIWES) stipends.
The group said it suspects strongly that money meant for students has been embezzled by officials of Industrial Training Fund (ITF), the custodians of such money.
The President of PSM in Nigeria, Mr Bestman Okereafor, made the call in a statement made available to News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Enugu on Sunday.
“The attention of PSM, a pan-African socialist movement, has been drawn to an injustice going on in the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) which has ran into millions of Naira.
“This has caused the non-payment of the Students Industrial Work Scheme (SIWES) stipends between 2012 and 2018.
“PSM Nigeria is calling on EFCC to x-ray the unpaid backlog of SIWES stipends between 2012 and 2018.
“Millions of Nigerian students never received the N15,000 and this is absolutely alarming and contrary to the Anti-Corruption Crusade of President Muhammadu Buhari,’’ Okereafor said.
According to him, PSM is giving EFCC 78 hours to commence immediate investigation or face a protest soon by 50,000 students.
“It is understandable that the N15,000 is meagre; but in all fairness and justice, it belongs to Nigerian students and as such whatever happens to it Nigerian students want to know and that is why PSM is blowing the whistle,’’ he said.