The Executive Chairman, Kogi State Scholarship Board Mr Afolabi Joseph-Raji has stated that the State Government under the leadership of Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo is committed through the Board to ensure that every students of Kogi origin attain academic success and become responsible in the society.
Joseph-Raji stated this while interacting with journalists shortly after he defended the 2025 budget of the scholarship board at Kogi State House of Assembly.
According to him, the Board has enrolled over 44,000 students of Kogi origin in various tertiary institutions across the country to benefit from Kogi state bursary allowance, noting that the state governor has given approval for the release of 316 million naira for payment of Bursary and graduates law that are in law schools.
He assured that before the end of December, 2024 the over 8,000 students that has been cleared by the Board will receive the sum of #30,000 each while those in law schools will get #300,000.
“Our focus is on Kogi students and presently we have enrolled over 44,000 students to benefit from Kogi state bursary allowance.
The process of payment of the 2024 bursary is on and recently His Excellency the Executive Governor of the state Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo has graciously approved the sum of over 316 million naira to enable us pay the first batch of the beneficiaries of the bursary award.
“Each undergraduate student is expected to receive 30,000 naira each while law students of Kogi origin at various law schools are to receive 300,000 naira each.
“Before the end of this year the over 8,000 students that has been screened and cleared by the Board will receive the bursary award” he stated.
The Executive Chairman while speaking on transparency in the activities of the Board, said
the governor of the state is an accountant, saying that the mandate the governor gave the Board was to ensure total transparency in their activities.
“In view of the transparency each student can visit our site and apply as long as he or she is from Kogi State and no payment will be made without Bank Verification Number (BVN) and finally each student will be verified by the institution he or she is attending before payment can be made and through these procedure there will be no room for fictitious or double payment or giving the bursary to ghost students.
“Our documentary process and other various control measures we have put in place will help us address any form of hanky-panky game” he assured.