PWDs: A’Ibom begins paying N100m scholarship grant to students

Ini Billie, Uyo

The Akwa Ibom State Government has started the payment of N100 million scholarship grant to students who are Persons With Disability (PWD).

The state government presented cheques to PWDs in undergraduate programmes with N250,000, and N300,000 to postgraduate programme beneficiaries.

The government revealed that the modalities to register for the grant can be found on the Akwa Ibom State Government website, adding that the registration can be done with a phone number, student registration number, valid Identification card, admission letter, certificate of origin, last school fee payment receipt, recent passport photograph, and bank account details.

Speaking on Tuesday in Uyo during the presentation of the grant, Commissioner of Education, Mrs Idongesit Etiebet, said besides the grant, the government will also digitally pay all Akwa Ibom students in tertiary institutions N10,000 as a bursary.

“I want to thank Governor Umo Eno for the remodelling of schools, CKS is at the 95 per cent completion stage, and there’s also another school flagged off in Eket.

“Today, even entrepreneurs have benefited as tailors have been contracted to sew school uniforms for school children,” she stated.

Etiebet urged the benefiting students to reciprocate the gesture of the Governor by studying hard to emerge with good results.

She warned the recipients to desist from diverting the funds into extravagant and needless expenses, urging that the money be channelled strictly to scholarship.

“Every government investment comes with a corresponding return on investment. In this case, your excellent academic performance will be the benefit of this investment.

“The money for the bursary payment to all Akwa Ibom Students, is in a designated account newly opened for disbursement and the money will be disbursed digitally, with 10,000 Naira going to each student,” she stated.

In his response, the State Chairman, Joint National Association of Persons with Disability (JONAD) and Director of Administration, State Secondary Education Board Akwa Ibom State, Elder Effiong Tom, applauded the Governor for listening to the plights of disabled persons.

Tom stated that the support would further motivate other disabled persons to seek admission into institutions of learning.

On his part, Personal Assistant to the Governor on PWDs, Ubong Ikpe, described the Governor as an embodiment of promise fulfilment and pledged their resolve to support him.