Akwa Ibom State Government has set up a N100 million Education Fund to encourage and support physically challenged undergraduates studying in tertiary institutions in the state.
According to a statement, yesterday in Uyo, Governor Umo Eno disclosed this when leadership of the National Association of Students with Disabilities, University of Uyo chapter, paid him a courtesy visit at Government House on Monday.
Eno explained that the idea aims at giving the students comprising those of Akwa Ibom origin and those residing in the state a sense of belonging, and making life easier for them.
He appealed that the Ministries of Education and Women Affairs and Social Welfare mandated to manage the funds must verify and make sure the right person benefits from the state government effort and warned against bureaucratic bottlenecks in the disbursement of the funds.
His words: “We have set up a fund for the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Women Affairs to manage. The Accountant General will look at it and the Secretary of State Government will facilitate it.
“We will deposit N100 million and the fund is to support all disabled or physically challenged students in the public tertiary institutions. For disabled Akwa Ibom students and those residing around here, the money is set aside for them.
“The Ministry of Women Affairs and Ministry of Education will verify that the beneficiaries are in school and pay fees directly to their schools, then give them a little allowance to keep them in school until graduation.”