Cross River State’s pioneer representative in the Nigeria Youth Parliament and chairman, Contacts and Mobilisation, National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), Comrade Kingsley Ikpeme, has lauded the initiative of the State governor, Prof. Ben Ayade, for reviving the scholarship programme for students.
Ikpeme made the commendation during an interactive session with journalists shortly after receiving some scholarship forms from the State Scholarship Board, which he said would be distributed to deserving and indigent students in his Ward in Odukpani, Odukpani LGA of Cross River State.
Ikpeme, who is also a former president of NACRISS Worldwide, Cross River State chapter, lauded the director-general of the State Scholarship Board, Comrade Nuella Tessy Ayim, for spurring the state governor up on the scholarship initiative.
“Since your assumption of office as DG, the Scholarship Board has witnessed tremendous transformation. We must commend His Excellency for taking a bold step to ameliorate the economic hardship. We also laud him for reviving the scheme.
“Reason being that 60 per cent of Cross River State students pursuing academic programmes across the nation’s tertiary institutions lack the financial muscles to handle issues relating to their tuition fees
“You will agree with me that an average Cross River State student compared to his counterpart in other States, does not have the financial muscle to pursue thier programme without hitch.
“We need to assist our young ones who are in tertiary institutions of higher learning so that they don’t take to crime or involve themselves in cultism and other deviant behaviours.
“I commend the state chief executive for making up his mind in that direction. I commend you also for your resilience and doggedness and positive spirit that you have exhibited.
“Education is the bedrock of any society. There is no society that can be developed or grow without education. All that the state governor is doing, if the people are not educated, they may find it difficult to comprehend what he has been trying to achieve,” he stated.
Responding, the DG of State Scholarship Board, Nuella Tessy Agim, lauded Ikpeme for sharing in the vision of the state governor.
Speaking on Ikpeme, Agim stated that, “He called me and told me that he would love to be part of this vision, because of his background in education. He has come here to build a synergy with the Board to see how he can pass this goodwill message to his people.”
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