Several students who applied for the NEKOTECH scholarship program have been denied visas.
This revelation has sparked concerns among students, citizens, government officials, and parents, as questions arise over the credibility of the scholarship program and the reasons behind the visa rejections.
Government officials and citizens are recommending that President Joseph Boakai take immediate action to fix the NEKOTECH problem that is threatening to damage the country’s image internally and externally, beginning with his Foreign Minister.
On Monday, December 30, the United States Embassy in Monrovia reportedly denied 19 of the 20 applicants who applied for visas to pursue postgraduate studies in America under the highly controversial NEKOTECH scholarship program.
Addressing the audience, on the Spoon Live Talk Show on Wednesday, January 1, the CEO of Spoon TV, Stanton Witherspoon, stated that, the responsibility for the NEKOTECH scholarship controversy lies squarely with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Madam Sara Beysolow-Nyanti.
According to him, the students sent him messages saying they paid US$535 through the Embassy; US$350 for the service, and US$185 for the visa application.
“This program was confirmed by the Minister of Information, Jeronlimeck Piah after they said Liberia was awarded US$25 million for this project,” he stressed.
He emphasized that Minister Nyanti allegedly misled President Boakai into believing she had secured a US$25 million scholarship program for Liberian students to pursue postgraduate degrees in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics (STEM), Business, and Artificial Intelligence (AI) at prestigious institutions in the United States and Canada.
He stated that Foreign Minister Nyanti reportedly leveraged her long-standing friendship with Rev. A.K. Ocansey, the Executive Chairperson of the Nekotech Center of Excellence, to convince Liberians and their government of the scholarship program’s legitimacy.
“The President went and endorsed the program, the President championed it, the President called for a press conference, and the President celebrated this yet, this was a scam,” he lamented.
The Managing Director of the Liberia Water and Sewer Corporation (LWSC) expressed disappointment over the poor manner in which the NEKOTECH program was introduced in Liberia, criticizing the failure of designated government officials to conduct proper due diligence.
According to him, NEKOTECH was more of a hopeful initiative rather than a guaranteed scholarship program.
It was a system where individuals invested their money with the expectation and hoped that the Embassy would grant them a visa.
“I cannot support or align myself with such an approach, as our intention was never to create a program that relied solely on hope or prayer for scholarships. We are committed to providing transparent and reliable opportunities for people,” he stressed.
He emphasized that the president appoints officials based on their competence and integrity.
“If, for any reason, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs failed to conduct proper due diligence and caused the President to launch it, I will not hold the President accountable. However, I will hold him responsible if he fails to take action,” he stated.
Dr. Francien Chenoweth Richardson criticized the Boakai administration for its role in the NEKOTECH scholarship scheme, calling it fraudulent.
She believes that despite the program’s endorsement by the President and ministers, many Liberians were misled and paid large sums without receiving the proper support.
She argued that someone should be held accountable for deceiving students and for allowing a person with a dubious past to promote the scheme.
However, Angacee Dualu expressed frustration with the reputational damage caused by the scandal to the Boakai administration.
He stressed that when the government attaches itself to questionable ventures, it damages its credibility.
He also warned against mixing religion with business, cautioning that those who invoke God’s name in such schemes should be avoided.
Lawyer Garmondeh Clinton emphasized that the blame for NEKOTECH’s failure should fall on President Joseph Boakai, who publicly endorsed the program.
Clinton urged Mo Ali to hold the President accountable, questioning why he had not criticized Boakai for announcing the program in the first place.
Meanwhile, journalist Gibson W. Jerue criticized NEKOTECH for failing to ensure students obtained the necessary visas for their academic journeys, accusing them of duping students out of their money.
He concluded that the government, including President Boakai and Foreign Minister, should intervene to rectify the situation, asserting that their involvement tarnishes their reputations and further perpetuates the perception of government complicity in scamming its citizens.
