Delta begins payment of bursary to students for 2018/2019 session ~ Truth Reporters

The Delta State Government this week commenced 2018/2019 Academic session bursary payment to student of Delta State origin studying in various institutions of higher learning in Nigeria.

The Executive Secretary of the Delta State Bursary and Scholarship Board, Mr Sunny Orishedere, disclosed this on Tuesday November 12, 2019 while flagging off the payment in his office in Asaba.

Mr Orishedere stated that it had become a tradition for the board to perform the formal flag-off ceremony, to commence the payment of the bursary to Delta State students.

He however apologized on the delay in the commencement of the payment, saying it was due to irregularities discovered during verification and screening of the lists sent to the board by the various institutions of learning across the country.

The Executive Secretary disclosed that 24,179 (twenty four thousand, one hundred and seventy nine) persons applied for bursary adding that after a thorough screening 17, 169 (seventeen thousand, one hundred and sixty nine) students qualified to receive payments.

According to the Executive Secretary, the report of the verification was submitted to the State Executive Council (SEC), and that upon approval by the SEC, part of the funds were released last week to commence payment.

He stated that Governor Okowa was very much interested and passionate about the welfare of Delta State Students, assuring that all students qualified for the payment would be paid accordingly.

Mr Orishedere pointed out that Delta was the only state in the country still maintaining the full payment of bursary, adding that it had also initiated other scholarship programmes such as the best graduating student and first class scholarship to encourage and assist students.

Mr Orishedere revealed that the board had been fully digitalized in line with the CBN directive and the appropriate staff had also been trained on the procedures, saying payment would be done on first come, first serve basis, adding that student whose institutions were cleared earlier would receive their payment first. 

Also Speaking, the National President of the National Association of Delta state students, NADESSTU, Comrade Saturday Godwin expressed appreciation to Governor Ifeanyi Okowa's administration for having the welfare of the students in mind and for being consistent with the payment of bursary to Delta state students.

Comrade Godwin solicited the assistance of the state government in addressing some of the challenges facing the association.

Present at the flag-off were the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor Okowa on Students’ Matters, Comrade Jerry Ehiwario and the Special Assistant to the Governor on Student Matters, Comrade Francis Osadume.