The North East Development Commission on Friday announced the launch of an N6 billion Education Endowment Fund (NEDC-EEF) to confront challenges facing the region as a result of Boko Haram activities.
The chairman, Board of Trustees of the commission, retired Maj.-Gen. Paul Tarfa, who disclosed this in Abuja yesterday, also inaugurated a nine-man committee to supervise the effective use of the fund.
Speaking during the inauguration, Tarfa said when the scheme fully takes-off, no fewer than 20,000 indigenes of the region would become direct beneficiaries.
While lamenting the backwardness of the region in education and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) as a result of the insurgency, he noted that the benefits would be through scholarships at bachelor, masters and doctorate degree levels.
He told journalists that the fund which is aimed at improving human capital development in the region would capture nurses/midwives, teachers’ re-training as well as vocational training in 1,028 wards and 112 LGAs in six member states.
Earlier, the Managing Director of the commission stressed the need to take education seriously, saying lack of education was causing havoc among Nigerian youths.
He tasked the newly inaugurated committee to be more committed and deliver an excellent job. The NEDC-EEF committee will be chaired by Chief David Sabo Kente. Others members are: Alh. Dauda Birma, AVM Mohammad Auwal Mohammad, Alh. Mohammed J. Gashua, Barr. Obasuke MacDonald, Hajia Asmau Mai-Eka Mohammed, Alh. Abba-Gana Umar, Dr T. O. E. Ekechi and Alh. Maiwada Omar.
Join Daily Trust WhatsApp Community For Quick Access To News and Happenings Around You.
