Kogi State Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo on Monday flag-off the disbursement of Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) scheme to 13,359 female students under the Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Employment (AGILE) project.
The Governor also warned parents and guardians against diverting the funds to other areas of expenditure other than education of the beneficiaries.
Speaking at the flag-off on Monday in government house Lokoja, Governor Ododo said the purpose of the project was to enable the girls child in secondary schools across the 21 local government areas of the state to stay in school and pursue their future vigorously through education.
Governor Ododo who described the AGILE project as a symbol of dedication to ensuring that every girl-child has access to safe and quality education, stressed that an educated girl is not only an empowered individual but a catalyst for national development.
The Governor said “The gesture is for all of us in the state. It is not one off gesture and it is not for bet naija game. I am passionate about the girl-child education to enable us build future mothers, wives and those who will give back to the society.
“This initiative is very dear and close to my heart because during my electioneering campaign I made promise to prioritize education and today I am fulfilling the promise. I am glad that by the current rating Kogi state has the lowest out of school children in the northern part of Nigeria”
While noting that the project will provide a cash grant of ₦40,000 each to 13,359 adolescent girls in transition classes across the state with the aim of removing financial barriers to education and enhancing school retention, Governor Ododo urged the beneficiaries to make responsible use of the grants as a foundation for a better future.
The AGILE State Project Coordinator, Ahmed Tijani Oricha, pointed out that the project aims to dismantle both financial and sociocultural barriers that prevent adolescent girls from staying in school, noting that the second cohort of the CCT is in progress and every girl-child who has 75 per cent attendance in school will be eligible to be selected.
