Many students borrowed N650 for the online registration, a prerequisite for assessing the yearly Kogi State Scholarship Scheme, known as bursary. But months after, no student has received the cash. The aggrieved students are appealing to the government to fulfil its promise or return their ‘processing fee’. AROGBONLO ISRAEL report

WHEN it was announced, many students received the news with joy. But, one year after, they are yet to be paid. Now they are lamenting the non-payment of their 2018-2019 bursary and scholarship by the Kogi State government.

The aggrieved students, under the aegis of the National Association of Kogi State Students (NAKOSS), are spoiling for a showdown, should the government fail to fulfil its own part of the deal before the state election scheduled for next month holds.

The beginning

CAMPUSLIFE gathered that NAKOSS was created in 2004 as a pressure group to promote the welfare of students in tertiary institutions.

The late Governor Prince Abubakar Audu did not pay the bursary, but awarded scholarships to certain categories of students. This led to students’agitation for improved members’ welfare.

Audu’s successor Alhaji Idris Ibrahim continued with the scheme, with students receiving N3,500 yearly. Nevertheless, aside that students only enjoyed the bursary once under Ibrahim. CAMPUSLIFE learnt the scheme was fraught with irregularities as most students that registered could not access their bursaries.

Capt. Idris Ichala Wada (rtd), who took over from Ibrahim in 2011, added N500 to the bursary. Like Ibrahim, the method of payment was also ridled with irregularies.

Two years ago, there were fresh agitations by the students on the matter. This made Governor Yahaya Bello to increase the payment by 300 per cent, a feat previous administrations were not able to achieve. In addition, Bello digitalised the payment system, which encouraged eligible students to register online as a precondition for the bursary.

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