The Ebonyi State Government has announced that it is intensifying efforts to ensure that all 263 beneficiaries of its overseas scholarship program will depart for their respective destinations by the end of September 2024.
Chairman of the State Scholarship Board, Mr. Chaka Nweze, made this known while addressing the beneficiaries in Abakaliki. He noted that the recipients are being guided through the necessary requirements for their studies in the United Kingdom.
Nweze, a Former Chairman of Ohaozara Local Government Area of the State assured that efforts were in top gear to ensure that beneficiaries conduct themselves well, return to the state and serve its people.
‘They will sign a bond with the government to ensure they return, serve the state for five years and then be free to go elsewhere.
‘The government had spent huge resources on the scholarship scheme and there was equitable representation of all the 13 LGAs of the state,’ he said.
He noted that the Government has spent about N3billion on its na
tional scholarship scheme and the beneficiaries have all secured their admissions into universities across the country.
‘We have profiled them to pay their tuition fees and would very soon also receive their living expenses.
‘The government has spent about 9 billion on the oversees scholarship and would spend an extra N500million on the students flight, visa and other expenses,’ he added.
Also Read: Ebonyi Govt Sets To Supply Water In Every Home
Nweze said that three universities in the United Kingdom have been contacted for the enrollment of the beneficiaries.
A Board Member of the Board and Former Commissioner for Agriculture in the state, Prof. Humphrey Nwaobashi, Member of the Board, urged the beneficiaries to be good ambassadors of the state.
‘The beneficiaries have 12 months to complete their programmes and would be monitored during their stay in the UK. This is to ensure that take their stories seriously and justify the reasons for sending them there.
‘We would be in steady contact with the univ
ersity authorities for minute-by-minute information of the beneficiaries’ activities. The governor is interested to ensure they justify the huge resources spent on them,’ he said.
One of the beneficiaries, Julie Onah, thanked the governor for the opportunity to be useful in life and pledged to be good ambassadors of the state.
Source: Voice of Nigeria