In order to cushion the negative effect of petrol subsidy removal, a charity organization; Florence Agogo Foundation (FAF) has awarded bursary to over 50 indigent students across the 18 Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Cross River State.
Speaking at a dinner night and the bursary award ceremony in Calabar at weekend, the Chief Executive Officer of FAF, Miss. Florence Agogo, said the gesture was an opportunity to positively affect the lives of fellow Nigerians.
The award which is open to only students of Cross River state origin studying in any recognized university in Nigeria, was organized in collaboration with the National Association Cross River State Students (NACRISS) worldwide.
She stated that the award is an annual event and it is the Foundation’s modest way of improving the academic pursuit of indigent students of Cross River State origin, especially in a times like this when Nigerians are going through difficulties occasioned by the petrol subsidy removal by the Federal Government.
No stone, according to her will be left unturned to ensure the sustenance of the bursary award which cuts across the payment of school fees, faculty fees, students’ house rent, transportation fare, feeding among other gestures.
Agogo said, “this is a dinner event of the NACRISS worldwide in collaboration with Florence Agogo foundation. So, it is a dinner and bursary disbursement and award night”.
She said, “Florence Agogo Foundation is a charity organization that specializes in the needs of children. Our areas of focus are healthcare, education and empowerment.
“In the area of education, we looked around the 18 Local Government Areas of Cross River State and selected our beneficiaries. I am a Cross Riverian from Obudu Local Government Area and overtime, I have tried my best to see how we can help to improve the academic sojourn of the indigents in our midst.
“So, when the president of NACRISS reached out to me, I felt in this kind of event we needed to have the presence of all the benefiting students so that we can assist them in the payment of their school fees, faculty fees, transportation, house rent, feeding and so on.”
She further said, “we are very cognizant of the infinitesimal effects our efforts could have on the total eradication of needs, essential wants and common economic besetting challenges, however we pride ourselves in the ability God has given us to play a probably insignificant role in his lager plans for humanity.
Mrs. Florence Agogo (in red), displaying the award in midsts of the students
“As a student myself, I understand the hardship meted on students by the state of our nation, economic instability and institutional peculiarities, to which end this bursary scheme was actuated to introduce some succour and hopefully mitigate on this hardship”.
Earlier in his address, the Special Adviser on General Duties to Cross River state governor, Mr. Ekpenyong Akiba, commended the organizers and sponsors of the award ceremony for complimenting government’s efforts in the educational subsector.
Akiba, who was chairman of the occasion as well as one of the honorary awardees, said the Foundation’s bursary award to indigent students in the state was in line with the policy trust of the governor Bassey Otu’s led administration.
He disclosed that in spite of the current economic upheavals in the country, governor Otu remains committed to his government’s obligations to Cross River State students as it regards bursary awards, home and overseas training to all deserving students.
Describing the bursary award as a call to more responsibilities, Akiba charged the beneficiaries to be more studious in order to justify the award.
He said, “the award is commendable. Its a call for more responsibilities and its a way of encouraging us to do more as a government. This award would not have been possible without the impact and support of the ‘people’s first’ governor in terms of his support and recognition of this segment of the society which is Cross River state students.
“So, I dedicate this award to our governor and all young people in Cross River State and I implore them to use their youthful energy positively to support the government and be useful to their families and the society. I encourage them to also venture into different skills acquisition programmes, trade and be self-reliant.
“As a government, we would continue to support the students by way of scholarship, by training both within and outside Nigeria, and we would involve knowledgeable students with good ideas in governance because, indeed it is the season of sweetness in Cross River State”.
While presenting an Honorary Award to the Chairman of the event and other awardees, the NACRISS President, Worldwide, Akpeke Peter, said the award is to recognise Cross Rivarians that have impacted positively in the lives of students.
He congratulated the students who benefited from the Florence Agogo Foundation as well as commending the foundation for partnering with NACRISS in providing all the necessary support to Nigerian students.
One of the beneficiaries, Precious Asuquo thanked FAF and NACRISS for providing a platform where students are offered scholarship to support their upkeep in school saying, “I want to say a big thank you toL NACRISS and Florence Agogo, this will go a long way in helping us especially in this trying times”.
