Date: 2017-02-21

The Kwara State Governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed, has expressed his administration's preparedness to prioritize bursary and scholarship awards to students in the 2017 fiscal year.

Governor Ahmed said this commitment is in a bid to support Kwara State indigenes studying in tertiary institutions across the country.

The Governor added that this will also encourage the beneficiary students to excel in their education as the scholarship will be merit based, according to a statement made available to Pulse by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Communications, Dr. Muyideen Akorede.

Alhaji Ahmed stated that in the 2017 budget proposal, which is currently before the State House of Assembly, the sum of N500M is earmarked for bursaries, while N450M is allocated for scholarship awards.

According to the Governor, once the budget is passed by the House and signed into law, the State government will begin the phased disbursement of the bursary and scholarship.

He noted that in a departure from previous practice, the government has obtained lists of students of Kwara State origin in all tertiary institutions in Nigeria, which according to him will form the basis of direct payment to the beneficiary students.

Alhaji Ahmed said that the State government could not pay bursary last year due to the financial situation in the country, but commended the students for their patience and maturity.