Cross River Resumes Bursary Payment, Introduces Grants For Medical Students

Cross River State governor, Bassey Otu, on Friday announced the resumption of bursary payments to students of the state in tertiary institutions and the introduction of special grants for medical students.

Otu stated that the move is part of his administration’s renewed commitment to education, human capital development and the future of the state.

He stated this at the State Executive Council meeting in Calabar, stressing that no Cross River student should be forced to abandon their studies because of financial hardship.

“In line with our commitment to invest in the future of Cross River State, I am pleased to announce that my administration will resume the payment of bursaries to Cross River students in tertiary institutions in the coming months,” he stated.

He added that the intervention would mark the return of educational support schemes that had been dormant for more than a decade.

“Additionally, we will introduce special grants for our medical students to support their training and ease the financial burden of their studies. This intervention had not happened in over a decade.

“It is our way of reaffirming that education remains a top priority, and that no Cross River student should be forced to abandon their dreams due to financial constraints,” Otu said.

The announcement drew applause as one of the major highlights of the meeting, which also outlined a broader policy direction focusing on health, education and power.

The governor acknowledged that while the administration had recorded strides since assuming office in May 2023, some sectors still require renewed attention.

“I must acknowledge the fact that we may not have performed to the level of our expectation in some sectors. As a result, we shall renew our energies and attention to new areas of focus, namely: Health, Education and Power, among others,” he stated.

Otu also highlighted efforts to recover the state’s oil wells, describing the process as “intense, strategic and central to the economic future of the state.”

He said the matter required daily follow-ups in Abuja and could not be ignored. Using a metaphor, he likened the opposition to “wounded lions,” but expressed confidence in the outcome.

“I can confidently assure you that at the end of the negotiations and resolution of the issues concerned, Cross River State will have cause to smile again as an oil-bearing state in Nigeria,” he declared.

As political activities intensify nationwide, the governor directed Commissioners and heads of Ministries, Departments and Agencies to submit scorecards of their stewardship ahead of the administration’s third anniversary.

He expressed dissatisfaction that only three MDAs had complied with the earlier directive.

He also announced plans to inspect and commission completed projects across the 18 local government areas and to unveil new projects and blueprints in communities that have had limited development.

On the controversial recruitment into the Unified Local Government Service, Otu reiterated his administration’s zero tolerance for abuse of due process.

He said the government had dissolved the leadership of the Commission and set up a five-member panel of inquiry after “relentless complaints and unbearable public outcry.”

The panel is to review the recruitment process, audit payrolls across the 18 LGAs, and recommend disciplinary measures where necessary.

“Government therefore intends to be very hard on anyone found guilty in the mess that occurred in the Local Government Service Commission,” he said.