A’Ibom govt institutes N100m fund for physically challenged undergraduates
By Chioma Onuegbu, Uyo
Akwa Ibom State Government has set up a one hundred million naira education Fund to encourage and support physically challenged undergraduates studying in tertiary institutions in the state.
According to a statement made available to newsmen yesterday in Uyo, the state governor, Pastor Umo Eno disclosed this when leadership of National Association of Students with Disabilities, University of Uyo chapter, paid him a courtesy visit at Government House on Monday.
Eno explained that the idea aims at giving the student comprising those of Akwa Ibom origin and those residing in the state a sense of belonging, and making life easier for them.
He, appealed that the Ministries of Education and Women Affairs & Social Welfare mandated to manage the funds must verify and make sure the right persons benefits from the State government effort, and warned against bureaucratic bottlenecks in disbursement of the funds.
His words: “We have set up a fund for the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Women Affairs to manage. The Accountant General would look at it and Secretary to State Government will facilitate it.
“We will deposit one hundred million naira into that fund immediately to support all disabled or physically challenged students in the public tertiary institutions. For disabled Akwa Ibom students and those residing around here, that money is set aside for them.
“The Ministry of Women Affairs and Ministry of Education will verify that the beneficiaries are in school and pay fees directly to their Schools, then give them a little allowance to keep them in school until graduation. It’s just a 100m naira. From time to time we may augment it.
“The Ministry of Women Affairs will ensure that they profile them properly to make sure the right people benefit from it. As you profile and finish, the Secretary to State Government will authorize payment. This idea is to encourage and make life easier for them”
The governor who was in the Company of
the SSG and Permanent Secretaries of Government House, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Women Affairs & Social Welfare, reassured the students that government could at least pay their tuition fees as they are doing well in School, even better than those without disabilities.
I just want to say that you are not alone, we will support you. I believe that if physically challenged ones among us love to go to school we must support them
For Mr Udeme Emmanuel who is leaving for law school, we will support him and pay monthly allowance for his upkeep and give him automatic employment in the Ministry of Justice immediately he is through with the law school”, the governor promised.
Meanwhile, the President of the Association, Emmanuel Wisdom and Ubong Imoh Ikpe were appointed as Personal Assistant on Student Matters and, Personal Assistant on Students with Disability respectively, during the interactive session
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