Economic Hardship: Delta Governor  Approves Over N674m For Payment Of Bursary To Students

Delta state Executive Council, (EXCO) on  Wednesday, approved the payment of over 674,000,000  million  naira for the payment  of bursary to students for the 2022/2023 academic session. 

The prospective beneficiaries of the bursary are indigenes of the state.

The approval was part of the decisions taken  at the State Executive Council meeting  that was presided over by Governor Sheriff Oborevwori. 

A statement made available to Team@orientactualmags.com noted that the state Commissioner for Information, Dr. Ifeanyi Osuoza, told journalists  that the Exco  has also approved phase two  of the procurement of medical equipment for 20 general hospitals across the state. 

He listed the hospitals to include; General hospitals at Obiaruku, Abraka, Ekpan, Owa-Alero, Okwe, Koko, Orerokpe, Otu-Jeremi, Burutu, Abavo, Owa-Oyibu, Issele-Uku, Ibusa, Aviara, Onicha-Olona, Ofagbe, Aboh, Ashaka, Kiagbodo and the Eku Baptist Government Hospital. 

Osuoza, who was flanked by the Commissioner for Works (Rural and Riverine Roads), Mr. Charles Aniagwu, his Higher Education counterpart, Prof Nyerovwo Tonukari, the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Joseph Onojaeme, and the governor’s Chief Press Secretary , Sir Festus Ahon, said the Exco also approved compensation for the construction of flyover at Enerhen Junction to First Marine Gate. 

He said:  ‘We just finished EXCO meeting and some approvals have been given in respect of some vital projects. 

The EXCO has approved the release of funds for 2022/2023 payment of Students Assistance Scheme, otherwise known as Bursary. 

There is an  approval for the upward review of the contract for the procurement of medical equipment at 20 General Hospitals in Delta state. 

There is an upward variation of the contract for the remodeling of the uncompleted library building of the Basic Clinical building for the College of Health Sciences, Oghara, Ethiope West Local Government . 

There is also an approval for the compensation for buildings that will be affected by the construction of the flyover bridge from Enerhen Junction, Effurun to Marine Gate, Warri in Uwvie and Warri South local governments, respectively’.

Explaining further on the planned payment of bursary, the Commissioner for Works (Rural and Riverine Roads), Mr Charles Aniagwu said;  ‘on the hardship in the land, the reason the governor is very much interested in this is because when parents are looking for money, they need the money to take care of their children, pay tuition fees and provide basic necessities. 

As a government, we believe that if we are able to give some funds to these students, that way we have also been able to help their parents. 

Any student that you make this money available to now, at least, for that month and maybe the next, will not ask his or her parents for money to buy one book or feed. 

So, we are not just approving the bursary for our students for nothing. If we are able to reach out to as many as over 30,100 students of Delta state origin, you will know the number of households the government has been able to reach out to through this form of palliative. 

As an administration, you will notice a number of things we have mentioned here that we are doing in the health sector. It is also with a view to ensuring that our people have access to medical facilities and that they are able to reach out. 

Once we are able to put the hospitals in a good shape and they are functional, it means that the funds that are available to you, even when we did not give it to you by cash, that as a government, we have also provided in that area. 

If we give you money and the hospitals are not functional, you will discover that you are not going to eat the money. After all, they say the value of money is what money can buy. 

So, we are providing you those things that you need money to buy; helping you solve that challenge, so that, at the end of the day, we are mitigating the excruciating conditions that we have found ourselves in. 

All the steps being taken by the Oborevwori-led administration is with a view to making life much more livable for our people. 

That we are ensuring that you have good roads, students have schools to go to, that our people have good hospitals and conversion of more schools to universities to ensure that our people have access to more higher education; all of them is to make life much more livable’.

On  the gully erosion ravaging parts of the state capital, Aniagwu, said the state government is working on addressing the challenges posed by the 1.8km meters gully erosion site on the Marble Hill Road to Vanguard and NNPC, Asaba, and other sites across the state. 

He said over N2 billion was approved by EXCO for the payment of compensation with respect to the flyover project from Enerhen to Marine Gate, Warri, while giving assurance that the present administration would continue to take proactive steps to mitigate the plight of Deltans. 

 Commissioner for Health, Dr. Joseph Onojaeme, said over N3 billion was approved for the equipment of 20 General Hospitals across the state. He also said

there is a standing approval for immediate replacement of essential workers lost to brain drain, adding that the state government is committed to ensuring good health for Deltans.

The  Commissioner for Higher Education, Prof Nyerovwo Tonukari,  also said over N674 million would be paid to 30,116 students of the state origin drawn from 195 institutions across the country for the 2022/2023 bursary, adding that processes for the payment of 2023/2024 has also begun-Team@orientactualmags.com  Do you have any information you wish to share with us? Do you want us to cover your event or programme? Kindly send SMS to 08059100286, 09094171980 or get in touch via orientactualmag@gmail.com.  Thank you