The Kwara State government has spent over N4.6bn in counterparts funding for the construction of 209.77 kilometres of rural roads across the 16 local governments area of the state.

The state’s coordinator of Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP), Dr Isaac Kolo, disclosed this at the 47th Media Parliament of the Kwara State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).

The event was themed “Ending Rural/Urban Migration Through Quality Road Infrastructure”.

Kolo said about 66.5 kilometers of the rural roads would be constructed in phase one to cover Asa, Ilorin West, Ilorin East, Oyun and Edu local government areas of the state .

He said 39.6 kilometers of the roads would be constructed in Baruten along the border of Benin Republic, amongst others.

He explained that an agro-logistic has been put in place to upgrade market infrastructure across the three senatorial districts of the state to meet international standard.

The RAAMP coordinator said the opening of the rural areas through the construction of road network would reduce the challenges of rural-urban migration.

Kolo said road network are constructed in a way to link the rural dwellers to a market very close to them to sell their farm produce.

He appealed to the residents of the state to take ownership of the road infrastructure and report any challenge to the government for proper attention.

Earlier, the chairman of Kwara State Council of the NUJ, AbdulLateef Ahmed, said journalists have the responsibility of keeping the public informed on the programmes and policies of government and make the public officers accountable.

Borno State government under the leadership of Governor Babagana Umara Zulum has spent about N9.7 billion in scholarships to indigenous students undergoing various studies at tertiary institutions within and outside the country in 2024.

Commissioner for Education, Science, Technology and Innovation, Engr. Lawan Abba Wakilbe, disclosed this while briefing newsmen after the first 2025 executive council meeting chaired by Governor Zulum at the Government House, Maiduguri, the state capital.

According to Engr. Wakilbe, a total of 30,616 undergraduate students across Nigeria’s Universities, Colleges, Polytechnics and other institutions, studying Law, Science, Medicine, Nursing, and Engineering received N4,289,243,200 billion in scholarships.

Additionally, 335 local postgraduate students pursuing Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) courses were awarded a total of N382 million.

In support of international education, N2,325,467,300 billion was disbursed to 132 undergraduate students studying Medicine and Engineering at universities in China and Egypt. Furthermore, 287 postgraduate students enrolled in STEM courses in India and Malaysia received N2,691,467,300 billion.

A total of 31,369 students benefited from the scholarship programme in 2024, with Governor Zulum already approving sponsorship for over 30 new students who will pursue Aviation courses in 2025. Additional scholarship and sponsorship programmes will also be launched for the upcoming year.

Highlighting some of the institutions hosting the beneficiaries, Engr. Wakilbe reported that 997 students are currently enrolled at the College of Nursing, Maiduguri, with 94 others at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH).

In addition, 32 medical students are attending Al-Ansar University in Maiduguri, while 392 students are studying at the Federal Polytechnic Monguno.

With regards to foreign scholarship, “about 150 students are studying in India, with 19 pursuing Medicine, 29 in Malaysia, 65 at Sharda University, and 85 at Integral University in India.

In China, 10 students are enrolled in the MBBS programme at Jinzhou Medical University, 30 at Anhui Medical University, and 50 students are studying Engineering at Naijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Liaoning University of Technology, and Hefei University of Technology”, Hon. Wakilbe stressed.

 

The commissioner emphasised that these scholarships and their accompanying bonds will help meet the workforce needs in the state, particularly as it recovers from the challenges posed by insurgency.

 

The initiative aligns with the 10-year transformation agenda and the 25-year development plan set forth by Governor Zulum, ensuring a brighter future for Borno State and its citizens.

 

The commissioner said, apart from this gesture, Mega schools, and blocks of classrooms were constructed and equipped, with recruitment of qualified teachers across many local government areas in the three senatorial districts, as well as reduction in the number of out-of-school children off the streets.

 

He commended Zulum and all stakeholders, including the executive secretary of Borno State Scholarship Board, Bala Isa, for creating an enabling opportunity for students and parents to have a sigh of relief while pursuing their education.