More than 16,400 girls in Nasarawa State are currently benefiting from scholarships under the AGILE Conditional Cash Transfer Programme, aimed at boosting girl-child education across the state.
Speaking at the official launch of the cash disbursement to beneficiaries in Lafia, the State Commissioner for Education, Dr. John Mamman, emphasized the need for collective action in addressing the social and economic challenges that continue to hinder access to education for girls across the country.
The AGILE Conditional Cash Transfer is a component of the World Bank-supported Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE), designed to provide financial assistance to vulnerable girls, especially those transitioning from primary to junior secondary or from junior to senior secondary school.
Dr. Mamman noted that Nasarawa State’s participation in the AGILE programme has created numerous opportunities to secure the future of girls through education. He reiterated the state government’s commitment to sustaining the programme, which is currently being implemented in seven local government areas.
“The first batch of cash disbursement will cover 10,539 beneficiaries, while the second batch will be paid once their data is fully processed. Each beneficiary will receive ₦40,000,” he said. “Beneficiaries are drawn from Awe, Wamba, Kokona, Keana, Nasarawa, Lafia, and Doma LGAs.”
Also speaking, the State Project Coordinator of AGILE, Hajiya Aishatu Aliyu Isoga, said the cash transfers are meant to cater to essential educational needs, including school uniforms, textbooks, and sanitary pads.
In their separate remarks, Mrs. Sheila Tosan Akabe who represented the Governor’s wife and the State Chairman of the All Nigeria Conference of Principals of Secondary Schools (ANCOPSS), Mr. Benjamin Akolo, described AGILE as a timely and impactful initiative that offers a supportive environment for girls to thrive academically.
Some of the beneficiaries, including Huraira Usman and Janet Anzaku, expressed gratitude to the state government and partners, saying the programme has renewed their hope of continuing their education. They also appealed for its sustainability to support more underprivileged girls in the future.(Radio Nigeria)