Governor Ahmed Ododo has approved the disbursement of N316 million as bursary payments to 8,750 undergraduate students of Kogi State who successfully completed the clearance process.
Commissioner for Education, Science, and Technology, Wemi Jones, disclosed this during a press conference on Friday in Lokoja. He stated that the bursary payments were part of the state government’s efforts to support education and encourage academic excellence among its indigenes.
“Out of over 40,000 applications submitted online for the 2024 bursary award, only 8,750 met the criteria and provided the required documents,” Jones explained.
Breaking down the disbursement, the commissioner noted that 8,549 students would receive N30,000 each, amounting to N256 million, while the remaining 201 law students would each get N300,000, totaling N60.3 million.
He assured the beneficiaries that the funds would be credited to their bank accounts within two weeks.
“This administration is committed to prioritizing education and reducing the number of out-of-school children in Kogi State to the barest minimum,” Jones said.
Additionally, the commissioner presented a cheque of N5 million to the father of Favour Adebayo, a Kogi indigene on scholarship in Poland, as part of the state government’s support for her studies. Adebayo was awarded the European Union Erasmus+ Scholarship to further her education abroad.
Speaking about the gesture, Jones said, “The governor graciously approved the disbursement of N5 million to Favour Adebayo for making Kogi State proud by winning the EU Erasmus+ Scholarship to study in Poland. This is to complement her scholarship award and provide additional support for her tuition, accommodation, and other needs.”
Presenting the cheque on behalf of the governor, the Executive Chairman of the Kogi State Scholarship Board (KSSB), Afolabi Joseph-Raji, commended Governor Ododo’s unwavering commitment to education.
“Favour distinguished herself as the best overall student at Nasarawa State University during her 300-level studies through an exchange program in Poland. This support will enable her to excel further,” Joseph-Raji said.
He reaffirmed the state government’s dedication to ensuring that every Kogi student achieves academic success and contributes meaningfully to society.
