By Obiabin Onukwugha
The Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, has disowned certain lists circulating in the social media, purportedly representing selected beneficiaries of its Youth Internship Scheme.
The agency had last month announced a youth internship scheme for 10,000 youths of the region, with a portal for registration which ended on August 31st.
But in a statement made available to NatureNews on Tuesday, signed by its Director, Corporate Affairs, Seledi Thompson-Wakama, the agency warned the public and all those who applied to disregard the list.
The agency warned that fraudsters spreading false information about the youth internship scheme are also demanding personal information and payment of an acceptance fee.
“Please, note that the NDDC does not require any fees or payments for the placement of qualified youths in its internship programme.
“We wish to clarify that no such list has been collated, approved or released and any claim to the contrary is false. Those who registered for the scheme should note that the process of selection is on-going,” the statement read in part.
It said that the final list of beneficiaries will be drawn from the NDDC’s official database and only those that were duly registered between August 5, 2024, when the registration was formally launched and August 31, 2024, when it closed, will be considered.
The NDDC, therefore, advised members of the public, especially youths who are eagerly waiting for the completion of the selection process, to ignore any unauthorised list and seek information only from the NDDC official channels.
The NDDC also assured stakeholders of its commitment to transparency and fairness in all its activities, including the youth empowerment programmes.
The agency regretted that some mischievous individuals were trying to take advantage of unsuspecting youths who are seeking ways of being gainfully engaged in legitimate activities. “In the light of this unfortunate development, we urge our youths to be wary of these scammers.
“For inquiries about our empowerment programmes, please contact us directly through our official channels. We also encourage beneficiaries of our programmes to verify facts on the NDDC’s official website: [www.nddc.gov.ng] and social media handles,” the statement added.
