The Nasarawa State Government has begun the disbursement of N394.55 million as bursary allowances for 2022-2023 to indigenous students in tertiary institutions across Nigeria.
Gov. Abdullahi Sule while inauguration the exercise on Friday at the Isa Mustapha Agwai Polytechnic (IMAP) Lafia disclosed that over 10,000 students are expected to benefit.
Represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Ubandoma Aliyu, the governor said that the gesture was part of his administration’s sustained effort to support to ease the financial burden on parents and students.
“Our administration has sustained efforts in supporting students bursary in order to ease the financial burden on parents and assists those in dire need of support in their various fields of study,” he said.
Sule recalled that more than 8,000 students benefitted from the 2020-2021 exercise.
He added that scholarship Board had adopted the e-payment method for the disbursement of the bursary allowance in order to entrench probity and guard against fraudulent activities occasioned by cyber crime.
The governor reiterated his administration’s commitment to prioritising the education sector.
“This is based on our conviction that building sound and quality education enhanced socioeconomic development of any society,” he said.
He urged the beneficiaries to make judicious use of the allowances to support their educational pursuit for the betterment of the country.
In her remarks, Hajiya Sa’adatu Yahya, Executive Secretary of the Nasarawa State Scholarship Board, appreciated the governor for sustaining the regular provision of the bursary allowance.
“This benevolence will continue to add value to the educational pursuit and go a long way to cushion the hardship faced by students,” she said.
Yahya noted that the board adopted the e-payment system in order to guard against the cases of impersonation that characterised the 2020-2021 exercise.
“This is why we are adopting another robust data protection method in order to safeguard sensitive information of the beneficiaries and for ease of disbursement,” Yahya said.
Responding, Hussein Abubakar-Eya, President, Nasarawa State Students Association (NASSA) appreciated the governor for his fatherly support to students and for prioritising the education sector.
He said that the disbursement of the bursary demonstrated that he has the interest of students at heart. (www.krestnews.com).