3rd August, 2011
The Commissioner for Higher Education in Delta state, Professor Hope Eghagha has revealed that the government has increased the annual Student Special Assistance Scheme (bursary) from N10,000 to N20,000.
And in a bid to scrutinise the qualified students in the tertiary institutions for the scheme the government discovered that over 33,000 fake students were discovered.
He said the fake students tried to cheat the state by claiming over N80 million that they were not entitled to collect, adding that the state government would spend about N637 million on the scheme.
At least 55,333 students initially applied for the scheme out of which 28,849,000 were found eligible for the scheme.
In view of this development the government of Delta state has vowed to prosecute the fake students in order to serve as deterrent to others with dubious intention.
A particular student, in order to cheat the government, registered 77 times but he was discovered to have been using his name several times with the same bank account.
Meanwhile, Professor Eghagha further revealed that the government has approved the renovation of schools across the state, build new ones and provide furniture where there is shortage.
He said the renovation would be carried out in phases since there are 151 higher schools in the state, excluding primary schools.
He appealed to the NADESCO leaders to talk to their fellow students to do things that will enhance the fortunes of their colleagues so that the state could do more for them.
Also, the Commissioner for Transport in Delta state, Mr. Ben Igbakpa during the post-executive briefing, told the press that the government has approved the sum of N948 million for the provision of 100,000 tricycles in the state. 200 out of these will be for the conveyance of people while 800 of the tricycles would be for cargoes.
This would go a long way to ease the hardship of the rural dwellers and enable them enjoy the dividends of democracy, he said.
The commissioner also said that this would be the beginning of the phasing out of okadas in the state as the okadas would be empowered to use the imported tricycle for commercial purposes and with time the state would have reduced the hazards of motorcycle in the state.
He said at least 130 boats would also be added to meet the needs of the coastal areas in the state, while 100 buses are on the way.
—Yomi Obaditan/Asaba