<div dir="ltr">Thank you Sonigitu. You are right. You requested for an increase in the allocated travel fund because of the visa expenses you incurred. We rejected that request. We had initially allocated you 1250 USD for Morocco. We were surprised that you went ahead and spent 800 Euros for the Moroccan visa, considering that we had only allocated 1250 USD to you. I understand that you had to travel from one city to another and had to stay at a hotel for five nights but considering we had only allocated 1250 USD we became uncertain and concerned about your future expenses. Hence we decided to only reimburse you for the travel related Moroccan visa expenses. <div><br></div><div>In our EC meeting we discussed your case and decided:<br><div><br><div><i>"Motion passed for NCUC EC to compensate Sonigitu Ekpe for his visa expenses related to Marrakesh upon receipt of the appropriate documents showing that he actually incurred those expenses and to inform him of the decision not to provide travel support for Helsinki."</i><div><br></div></div></div><div>You can find the minutes here. <a href="http://www.ncuc.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Minutes_ncucec_250416.pdf" target="_blank">http://www.ncuc.org/wp-c<wbr>ontent/uploads/2016/04/Minutes<wbr>_ncucec_250416.pdf</a> </div><div><br></div><div>We agreed to cover your visa-related travel expenses for Morocco. The receipts you sent totaled 218,000 Naira for travel expenses, You were reimbursed 234,456 Naira, more than you provided receipts for. </div><div><br></div><div>Just a clarifying question: Are you saying that you paid your Morroco related visa expenses, in Nigeria, in Euro? If so, can you please send us a proof? </div><div><br></div><div>Best</div><div><br></div><div>Farzaneh </div><div><br></div><div> <br></div>
<div> </div><div><br></div><div><br></div></div></div><div class="gmail_extra"><br><div class="gmail_quote">On 10 August 2016 at 20:29, Sonigitu Ekpe <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:soekpe@gmail.com" target="_blank">soekpe@gmail.com</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex"><p dir="ltr">@ Farzaneh, l think there is need for clarity. There was no time I wanted my Morocco visa to be covered. I made a request for an upward review of my allocation to Helsinki with an explanations of the expense I incurred during visa processing for Morocco, based on that expense I solicited for the EC to review my allocation to $2000 or an amount more than $1250. At no time did I request for EC to cover my Visa expenses for Morocco. The mails are there for reference.</p>
<p dir="ltr">As far as I am aware the EC has only reimbursed me with $699.869. I spent money from my Euro denominated credit card and receipts were issued in naira that doesn't mean I spent naira. </p>
<p dir="ltr">Do you want to have my bank statements on my Euro account to see how I spent from my credit card within that period?</p>
<p dir="ltr">I knew that this will occur and I had to inform the treasurer early enough to avoid all this drag.</p>
<p dir="ltr">In the meantime less amount was transferred from the US. Hence the need for follow up.</p>
<p dir="ltr">As far as I am concern I am being victimized and this goes a long way to kill my zeal, interest and commitment.</p>
<p dir="ltr">I know how much I have sacrificed both physically, morally and financially. This can clearly be demonstrated by the fact that despite the all the set backs, I was still able to attend ICANN 56 meeting.</p>
<p dir="ltr">This query is not an issue of money but a question of integrity. I wish to be clearly understood.</p>
<p dir="ltr">I feel very disappointed.</p><span class="HOEnZb"><font color="#888888">
<p dir="ltr">Sonigitu Ekpe </p></font></span><div class="HOEnZb"><div class="h5">
<div class="gmail_quote">On 10 Aug 2016 17:40, "farzaneh badii" <<a href="mailto:farzaneh.badii@gmail.com" target="_blank">farzaneh.badii@gmail.com</a>> wrote:<br type="attribution"><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex"><div dir="ltr">Dear Sonigitu,<div><br></div><div>I sympathise with you regarding receiving visas and having to go through various processes. I totally understand that the situation you are at is frustrating.</div><div><br></div><div>But please note that we decided not to proceed with covering your Helsinki trip because you wanted us to cover your Morrocco visa trip expenses which was around 800 USD. </div><div><br></div><div>I understand that you asked to be reimbursed in USD but that did not happen. While I am sorry that we might have overlooked this request, we had only decided to pay your visa expenses to Morrocco and if we have covered all the expenses based on the receipts you submitted in Naira then we have fulfilled our obligation. Our job was to reimburse you the visa expenses you incurred for Morroco. If that is the case regardless of what currency you have been paid in, you have been reimbursed fully.</div><div><br></div><div>And I am sorry about the delay in payment.</div><div><br></div><div>Best regards, </div><div><br></div><div>Farzaneh </div></div><div class="gmail_extra"><br><div class="gmail_quote">On 10 August 2016 at 18:01, Sonigitu Ekpe <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:soekpe@gmail.com" target="_blank">soekpe@gmail.com</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex"><p dir="ltr">Dear EC,</p>
<p dir="ltr">I do appreciate your concerns. Meanwhile see the mail Milton sent me below in respect to payments.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Please kindly note my feelings:<br>
1. When my allocation was transferred to ICANN 56, I solicit for an upward review to enable me participate as the cost to Helsinki was really going to be high. I did immediately commence Visa processing and finally secured the Visa and paid for air flight, accommodation before I was informed of EC decision not to support me to Helsinki.</p>
<p dir="ltr">2.While following up on Visa for ICANN 55, I was regularly in touch with Rafik and Joseph de Jesus. Their encouragement made me stay in Abuja for that long while, because they made me feel all will be well.</p>
<p dir="ltr">3. Maryann asked me to send all the expenses I incurred for visa processing, I did avail that information quite early, believing I will receive the fund to support my trip, while in Helsinki I was asked if I had received my refund and of course no.</p>
<p dir="ltr">4. Today as an Africa why will I not feel bad in the way a support has turned to punishment. I was very aware of the current recession going on in Nigeria and I personally solicit for this fund to be paid into my dollars account, so why will Milton convert the money on its way out. Is it fair? Even when I provided him with the details of account, he requested for my house address before effecting the transfer. Is this how Africa will rise with all this unfair play?</p>
<p dir="ltr">5. I need him to revert the funds and pay me in dollars or euro as I do have an Euro account, that is the only time I shall be happy. It took him such a long time to effect the transfer. Why?</p>
<p dir="ltr">Thank you</p>
<div class="gmail_quote">---------- Forwarded message ----------<br>From: "Mueller, Milton L" <<a href="mailto:milton@gatech.edu" target="_blank">milton@gatech.edu</a>><br>Date: 11 Jul 2016 6:40 p.m.<br>Subject: Re: Refund of Travel Support<br>To: "Sonigitu Ekpe" <<a href="mailto:soekpe@gmail.com" target="_blank">soekpe@gmail.com</a>><br>Cc: "Rafik Dammak" <<a href="mailto:rafik.dammak@gmail.com" target="_blank">rafik.dammak@gmail.com</a>>, "Maryam Bakoshi" <<a href="mailto:maryam.bakoshi@icann.org" target="_blank">maryam.bakoshi@icann.org</a>><br><br type="attribution"><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">
<div dir="auto">
<div>Sonigitu:</div>
<div>You shall be reimbursed based on the amount of euros you spent not on the amount of naira so the devaluation should not affect you</div>
<div><br>
Milton L Mueller
<div>Professor, School of Public Policy</div>
<div>Georgia Institute of Technology</div>
</div>
<div><br>
On Jul 11, 2016, at 12:42, Sonigitu Ekpe <<a href="mailto:soekpe@gmail.com" target="_blank">soekpe@gmail.com</a>> wrote:<br>
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<blockquote type="cite">
<div>
<p dir="ltr">Dear Rafik,</p>
<p dir="ltr">Just a follow-up.</p>
<p dir="ltr">I shall be happy for the EC to note the following:<br>
1.That at the time I incurred the expenditure; the naira had not being devalue and the official exchange rate was NGN 199.50 to $ 1.</p>
<p dir="ltr">2. That the EC consider using the rate of exchange at the time of incurring the expenditure to make refund, so as to offer me a fair treatment.</p>
<p dir="ltr">I must appreciate all the good work you all are doing.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Thank you and warm regards.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Sonigitu Ekpe</p>
<div class="gmail_quote">On 11 Jul 2016 2:05 p.m., "Sonigitu Ekpe" <<a href="mailto:soekpe@gmail.com" target="_blank">soekpe@gmail.com</a>> wrote:<br type="attribution">
<blockquote style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">
<p dir="ltr">Dear Rafik,</p>
<p dir="ltr">Thank you for the clarification.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Warm regards.</p>
<div>
<div class="gmail_quote">On 11 Jul 2016 1:54 p.m., "Rafik Dammak" <<a href="mailto:rafik.dammak@gmail.com" target="_blank">rafik.dammak@gmail.com</a>> wrote:<br type="attribution">
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">
<div dir="ltr"><br>
<div class="gmail_extra">Hi Sonigitu,</div>
<div class="gmail_extra"><br>
</div>
<div class="gmail_extra">Thanks for the message,</div>
<div class="gmail_extra">as a reminder, the NCUC EC decided to cover your visa expenses for Marrakech only and not covering your travel to Helsinki. You already sent the expenses receipts to Maryam and Milton will wire the allocation for Marrakech meeting visa
expenses based on the banking details you shared.</div>
<div class="gmail_extra"><br>
</div>
<div class="gmail_extra">Best,</div>
<div class="gmail_extra"><br>
</div>
<div class="gmail_extra">Rafik<br>
<br>
<div class="gmail_quote">2016-07-11 16:54 GMT+09:00 Sonigitu Ekpe <span dir="ltr">
<<a href="mailto:soekpe@gmail.com" target="_blank">soekpe@gmail.com</a>></span>:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">
<p dir="ltr">Dear Rafik,</p>
<p dir="ltr">Greetings from Calabar - Nigeria.</p>
<p dir="ltr">It was my great pleasure meeting you at the just concluded ICANN 56 held in Helsinki - Finland.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Please, may I request to be properly briefed on the NCUC allocation for me to attend the Helsinki meeting.</p>
<p dir="ltr">I would like the transfer to be in US dollars as the account is in dollars.</p>
<p dir="ltr">I have concluded my blog and shall be sending it to you.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Thank you.</p>
<span><font color="#888888">
<p dir="ltr">Sonigitu Ekpe<br>
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<br></blockquote></div><br><br clear="all"><div><br></div>-- <br><div data-smartmail="gmail_signature">Farzaneh </div>
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</div></div></blockquote></div><br><br clear="all"><div><br></div>-- <br><div class="gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature">Farzaneh </div>
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