Akwa Ibom Government has floated a N100 million Education Intervention Fund to assist physically challenged and other disabled students of the state origin studying in public tertiary institutions.
The state Governor, Pastor Umo Eno announced this when the National Association of Students with Disabilities, University of Uyo chapter led by their President, Comrade Emmanuel Wisdom, paid him a courtesy visit at Government House, Uyo.
Eno said he was moved by the passion to give the student body a sense of belonging to underscore the political inclusion drive of his administration.
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He directed the Accountant-General, Secretary to the State Government, Ministry of Education as well as Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Welfare to supervise the disbursement of the funds by ensuring that school fees are paid directly to the schools of the beneficiaries and allowances given to the students after due profiling.
The Governor, who warned against bureaucratic bottlenecks in the disbursement of the funds, said the gesture was to encourage and make life easier for them, noting that some physically challenged persons are more focused than those with no disability.e up to 80% data.
“We have set up the fund for the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Women Affairs to manage, the Accountant-General would look at it and the SSG would facilitate it.
“We will deposit N100 million into that purse immediately to support all disabled or physically challenged students in the public tertiary institutions of Akwa Ibom students and those residing around here.
“That money is set aside for them. The Ministry of Women Affairs and Ministry of Education will verify that the beneficiaries are in schools and pay school fees directly to their schools, then give them a little allowance to keep them in school until graduation.
“This idea is to encourage them and make life easier for them. At least if they want to go to school let’s pay their tuition because they are doing very well and even better than some us that are not challenged.
The Governor, who announced a cash donation to one of the disabled students, Mr. Udeme Emmanuel, in addition to a monthly stipend to aid his participation in the Law School, assured him of automatic employment in the Ministry of Justice on his completion of the course.
“I believe that if the physically challenged ones among us love to go to school we must support them. For Mr Udeme Emmanuel who is leaving for Law School, we will support him and pay monthly allowance for his upkeep and give him automatic employment in the Ministry of Justice immediately he is through with the law school,” he stated.
Two of the students, Emmanuel Wisdom and Ubong Imoh Ikpe, were appointed Personal Assistant on Student Matters and Personal Assistant on Students with Disability, respectively.pictures in App save up to 80% data.
In their interactions with Government House Correspondents, the appointees, Mr. Emmanuel Wisdom and Mr. Ubong Ikpe, thanked the Governor for his political inclusion agenda, acknowledging that the physically challenged have been positively touched, promising to diligently carry out their duties.
On hand to receive the students were Secretary to the State Government, Prince Enobong Uwah; Permanent Secretary, Government House, Mr. Godwin Udoh; Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Lady Rose Bassey; and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Women Affairs, Mrs. Margret Edem.
