Kogi State Governor, Ahmed Usman Ododo has restated commitment to uplift lives and livelihoods of citizens, especially women and adolescent girls in the state.
Governor Ododo disclosed this at the Flag Off Ceremony of the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) scheme under the Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE) project at the Government House in Lokoja.
Governor Ododo described the AGILE project as a symbol of dedication to ensuring that every child, especially the girl child, has access to safe and quality education, stressing that an educated girl is not only an empowered individual but a catalyst for national development.
Governor Ododo reiterated that the AGILE-CCT is more than just financial support as it represents a long term investment in human capital development.
He noted that the programme is designed to enhance school enrollment, retention, and transition for adolescent girls, thereby contributing to the broader social and economic development of Kogi State.
He further noted that Kogi State currently ranks among states with the lowest number of out of school children in Nigeria and expressed gratitude to former Governor Yahaya Bello for securing Kogi’s inclusion in the AGILE project through the World Bank.
He urged the beneficiaries to make responsible use of the grants as a foundation for a better future, noting that empowering the girl child is synonymous with empowering families, strengthening communities, and advancing the nation.
The Governor informed 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.
“Each girl child supported by the AGILE project is going to receive the sum of N40, 000 each in addition to another ₦10,000 termly payment, for the payment of their school fees
“The money also covered a total of 14,000 adolescent children across the state. Let me warn that this money, as earlier declared by the AGILE Project Coordinator, Tijani Oricha, is not to be used to play Bet Nanja, or for their parents to marry another wife. It’s strictly for the education of the girl child the Governor warned.
In his goodwill message, the Commissioner for Education and Chairman of the State Project Steering Committee, Wemi Jones, commended Governor Ododo’s leadership which he said has continued to attract beneficial projects to the state.
Jones encouraged schoolgirls to attend schools regularly and advised parents to remain actively involved in their children’s education to ensure that they complete their educational pursuits.
The AGILE State Project Coordinator, Ahmed Tijani Oricha, emphasized that the project aims to dismantle both financial and sociocultural barriers that prevent adolescent girls from staying in school.
He noted that the second cohort of the CCT is in progress and every girl child who has 75 per cent attendance in school is eligible to be selected.
Speaking on behalf of traditional rulers, the Ohinoyi of Ebiraland, His Royal Majesty, Alhaji Ahmed Tijani Muhammed Anaje, pledged the support of traditional institutions towards the girl-child development agenda of the Kogi State government.
He described the girl child as the future of the nation and called for sustained efforts in ensuring their growth and empowerment.
Fatima Zahara Salawudeen from the Institute of Arabic and Islamic Studies (MARKAZ) who spoke on behalf of the beneficiaries expressed heartfelt appreciation to the Governor and all stakeholders for the opportunity given to female students in the state.
She acknowledged the Governor’s support for free education across the 21 local government areas and highlighted the counterpart funding provided under the AGILE project as a reflection of Governor Ododo’s commitment to securing a better future for girls in the state.
By targeting schoolgirls at critical stages in their education, the Conditional Cash Transfer scheme exemplifies the Ododo administration’s inclusive approach to social investment and its dedication to building a more equitable and prosperous Kogi State.