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..awards 46 students scholarships
From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
The First Lady of Nigeria, Oluremi Tinubu is set to empower 370 farmers across the country through her Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI), the presidency has said.
According to a statement issued by her media aide, Busola Kukoyi, the intervention include distribution of seedlings, pesticides and fertilizers to between 15-20 farmers per state, making up a total of 370.
The statement said this was one of the key resolutions at the meeting of zonal coordinators of the initiative with the National President and convener of the initiative, Mrs. Tinubu.
Other interventions in the sector include a proposal to encourage the establishment of farm markets in strategic locations and home gardens among Nigerians towards facilitating easy access to fresh farm produce.
In health, another key intervention area for the initiative, a partnership with the UNICEF to streamline and sanitize the process of birth registration is being worked out.
The same partnership is also to be explored to promote immunization towards stamping out polio.
The First Lady called on the Zonal coordinators to be at the vanguard of the process in their respective domains, urging all of them to be part of the immunization process
Zonal coordinators of the RHI are drawn from among state governors wives in the 6 geopolitical zones of the country.
In a related development, 46 Nigerian students in tertiary institutions across the country have emerged the first set of beneficiaries RHI’s maiden National Scholarship Programme for Tertiary Education.
The beneficiaries are drawn from the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), while others were nominated by various women societies, including National Council for Women Societies, and Defence Staff and Police Officers Wives Association DEPOWA.
At the ceremony held at the State House Conference Center, Mrs. Tinubu, who congratulated the beneficiaries, noted that the gesture is part of efforts by the initiative to ensure that no willing student is left behind.
She said: “With the National Scholarship Programme (NASP), we envision a Nigeria where every child, regardless of their circumstances, can access the best education available. It is not just about textbooks and classrooms, it is about igniting curiosity, speaking innovation and fostering a love of learning that will transcend generations..
“The inaugural National Scholarship Programme of the Renewed Hope Initiative is a four year scholarship programme of One Million Naira per year and a laptop for each beneficiary. Today we are empowering 46 students from across the states.”
While urging the beneficiaries to take their studies seriously as their GPA will be taken into consideration in subsequent years, Mrs. Tinubu also encouraged them to take on vocational skills.
RHI Director of Education, Prof Hafsat Ganduje in her welcome address, identified intervention in education as one of the five pillars of the initiative.
The ceremony was attended by Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu and Minister of State for the FCT, Mariya Mahmood.
