Nasarawa State Governor Abdullahi Sule has directed officials charged with the distribution of palliatives to plan how to extend the facility to students in tertiary institutions in the state.
Giving the directive at an emergency State Executive Council meeting in Lafia in Lafia at the weekend, the governor, while acknowledging the success of the programme in the state, said the palliative distribution would continue, especially with students of tertiary institutions as target beneficiaries.
He said there was the urgent need to extend the gesture to them as the prevailing hardship was affecting every segment of the society.
He said the gesture would greatly reduce the burden on parents who are also battling to pay the school fees.
“To continue with the palliatives, we have to discuss what to do with the students. Students, especially in tertiary institutions are yet to benefit from the palliatives, especially during this month of Ramadan. We need to probably go to the tertiary institutions,” he stated.
He urged the appropriate state organs to find a way of identifying the students and reaching out to them accordingly.
The governor equally spoke on the need for the state to support final year secondary school students, stressing that he had already directed the commissioner for education, Hon. John Mamman, to address it.
He commended the state palliative distribution committee chaired by the deputy governor, Dr Emmanuel Akabe, for the success of the initiative so far, as well as the commissioner for special duties, humanitarian, social services and NGOs, Hon. Magret Elayo, for her efforts.