As part of alleviating the suffering of students, Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno has approved the payment of N10,000 to each indigene who is studying in a public institution.
The payment which will be paid through an innovative bursary payment portal has already commenced with some students applauding the transparent nature of the process.
According to Dr Frank Ekpenyong, Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on ICT and Digital services the initiative reflects Governor Umo Eno’s commitment to sound education and his quest to uplift the state’s academic community.
Dr Frank, who led the team that developed the portal in collaboration with the Ministry of Education said the portal will serve as an exclusive gateway for bursary applications and payment.
“This user-friendly portal ensures swift payment processing upon validation, granting immediate disbursement upon meeting the necessary criteria. Students are required to submit specific documents including a valid ID card, Admission Letter, Certificate of Origin, Last school payment receipt, and a Current passport photograph for seamless validation and payment processing.
“The digital platform stands as the sole authorized channel for bursary applications. Students are urged to exercise caution and avoid any pseudo or secondary websites to prevent misinformation or misrepresentation,” emphasized Dr. Frank Ekpenyong.
He stated that payments will be directly credited to the provided bank accounts upon successful registration. Furthermore, measures have been implemented to deter fraudulent activities, ensuring fair and equitable distribution among eligible candidates.
To aid students in the registration process, various support channels such as dedicated control room, call centre, live chat and email assistance have been established. Additionally, extensive outreach programmes will be conducted to facilitate application processes and assist students in need.
Addressing concerns during a Q&A session, Dr. Frank reinforced the importance of adherence to the portal’s guidelines and revealed that some students have already begun receiving payment after due verification.
“Each Akwa Ibom student in a public tertiary institution is entitled to this support. You need not belong to any group or political party. We’ve instituted measures to verify and validate applications to prevent exploitation and secure the benefits for genuine students”
While encouraging students to commence their registrations immediately via the portal for prompt processing and payment, he noted that the bursary schemes marks the beginning of a transformative initiative aimed at supporting education and empowering the future leaders of Akwa Ibom State.
