By Olufemi Oni, Ilorin

The Kwara State Government has commenced the disbursement of financial assistance to 26,852 students of Kwara State origin in tertiary institutions in Nigeria.

The disbursement, according to a statement by Prof. Shehu Raheem Adaramaja, Chairman of the Government Committee on Students’ Palliative Fund,
commenced on Monday after a thorough screening process that lasted weeks.

Each beneficiary, the statement added, received a palliative fund of 10,000 Naira directly into their accounts to augment their expenses in the wake of the fuel subsidy removal, adding that it is a token support for the students, while it is another in the multi-sectorial palliatives that Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq’sl administration has rolled out since June.

“The distribution of the Palliative Fund is a testament to the government’s commitment to the welfare and well-being of its students,” chairman of the students’ palliative committee Prof Shehu Raheem Adaramaja said in a statement announcing the disbursement.

“By extending this financial assistance, the governor is showing empathy to the students and parents who need all the support they can get at this time.

“The disbursement of funds was made directly to the bank accounts of the students, ensuring transparent and efficient allocation. Efforts were made to ensure that the funds were received by students from diverse academic disciplines and backgrounds, helping to cater for the needs of a wide range of deserving students from 140 higher institutions across the country.

“You would recall that an online platform was created some weeks ago for eligible students to register online and provide necessary data, including their bank details.

“At the end of the registration exercise, a total of 30,775 students registered online. In the data verification and analysis carried out by the technical committee, those with incomplete registrations, multiple registrations, forged citizenship certificates, etc, were weeded out, and that pegged the number of beneficiaries at 26,852.

“The Kwara State Government remains resolute in its commitment to the welfare of the people, including students. This is just one of the many initiatives of the government to ease the financial burden on students and foster an atmosphere where they can thrive academically. It is recalled that the administration had similarly rolled our free bus services for students, especially in the metropolis”, the statement said.