…….rewards Executive Secretary with prime plot of land for returning excess N122m.
FIC Report (Nasarawa State) – In a bid to offset the backlogs of bursary allowances to indigents’ students of Nasarawa State studying in institutions of higher learning within and outside Nasarawa State, Governor Abdullahi Sule has flagged off the disbursement of the 2023/24 scholarships to 18, 762 students amounting to N592, 223,000.
Governor Sule flagged off the scholarship disbursement at a ceremony that held at the College of Education Akwanga.
This is just as the Governor announced a reward of a choice plot of land at the GRA to the Executive Secretary of the Nasarawa State Scholarship Board, Hajiya Sa’adatu Yahaya for returning over N122m being excess funds meant for disbursement.
He said his administration is rewarding Hajiya Sa’adatu for her honesty and transparency in running the affairs of the scholarship board.
“This money is going directly into the treasury of the state. I think this has shown that Nasarawa State has come of age, as this is an unusual thing to happen. Because of that, we are going to allocate a plot to the recipient in the GRA.
“I want to thank you sincerely for the transparency and for everything that you are doing in order to set a good example. We are making these decisions in order to instill a level of discipline, prudence, and honesty in the running of this administration,” he stated.
Governor Sule used the opportunity of the event to highlight the successes recorded by his administration in the area of education, stressing that Nasarawa State has moved appreciatively from its previous lower status in especially NECO performance, with the state coming 5th nationally.
He said mostly due to decisions taken by his administration, Nasarawa State has become visible and more attractive.
The Governor added that the state government has resolved to pay one hundred percent NECO registration fees for all SS3 students in the state, with 24, 000 students benefitting during the last NECO examination.
He explained that on assumption of office, being a beneficiary of foreign scholarship that made it possible for him to study at the Indiana State University in the United States; he reintroduced foreign scholarship which was scrapped due mostly to abuse and lack of funds.
“Today, we have about 155 students who are studying outside Nigeria from Nasarawa State,” he disclosed.
On the home front, he disclosed that presently, Nasarawa State has over 38,580 students that are being sponsored to various institutions of learning within Nigeria, with over N2bn already expended on scholarships.
“Because of certain areas that we require, we have 50 nursing and midwifery students who are being sponsored at the flagship nursing and sciences school in Bichi, Kano State. We just concluded sending additional 12 students to the Azman University Kano, and another 15 students to the Mewar International University in Masaka,” he added.
Governor Sule said when he assumed office in 2019, he met a backlog of unpaid scholarships for the academic sessions running 2016/17, 2018/19, which his administration settled.
“When I came in as a Governor, we didn’t have the opportunity to pay backlog scholarships from 2016/17, 2018/19. Today, we are paying the 2023-24. The only one pending is for this year,” he said.
He thereafter directed the executive secretary of the scholarship board to commence preparation to pay the outstanding scholarship at the end of the ongoing disbursement.
The Governor pointed out the commitment of his administration to improving the standards of education in the state saw to the jerking up of the annual budgetary allocation from 26 percent in 2020 to 31, 35 and 36 percent in subsequent years.
While congratulating the beneficiaries, he however appealed to them to utilizes the funds strictly for their education.
Governor Sule equally spoke on the process of appointing a new Provost at the College of Education Akwanga, stressing that only persons with proven capacity to efficiently run the institution would be appointed as the substantive provost.
In his speech, Nasarawa State Commissioner for Education, Dr. John DW Mamman, on behalf of the management and staff of the ministry, appreciated Governor Sule for his commitment to students as future leaders of the state.
“Just last week, while we are waiting for the result performance of WAEC, we came second to Benue in NECO. We are 5th in the entire country. You also flagged off the conditional cash transfer with no less than 14, 000 girls as beneficiaries for an amount not less than 30, 000 per girl. That goes a long way to support retention and conclusion of school,” he said.
Earlier, in an opening remarks, Executive Secretary of the Nasarawa State Scholarship Board, Hajiya Sa’adatu Yahaya, disclosed that 25, 000 students applied for the sponsorship, with 18, 762 scaling the online screening.
According to her, even though Governor Sule went ahead to approve funds to cover all those that passed the online screening, the board undertook a review of the exercise following which some underserving applicants were weeded out.
Hajiya Sa’adatu said as a result of the second exercise, the board had cause to return N122, 108, 000 out of the N592, 223,000 earlier approved for disbursement.
The board Executive Secretary thereafter presented a cheque to the Governor in the sum of N122, 108, 000.
She commended Governor Sule on his unwavering commitment to fostering academic excellence and empowering deserving students in the state, adding that by investing in the students, the government is investing in the future of Nasarawa State and the country at large.
Hajiya Sa’adatu called on the beneficiaries work diligently and strives for excellence in their academic pursuits.
Signed
ARI, LIMAN AMINU.
HEAD OF CENTRE,
FIC, LAFIA.
