Rita Odafe
Governor Francis Nwifuru
The Governor of Ebonyi State, Francis Nwifuru, announced that his government allocated ₦500 million to transport 204 postgraduate students to the United Kingdom (UK) for their studies.
This initiative took place on Saturday, where alongside the group heading to the UK, 541 additional students were also sent to various universities within Nigeria for postgraduate programs.
Governor Nwifuru emphasized that the scholarships are a vital investment not only in education but also in the future of the State itself. He stated, “This signifies our dedication to human capital development, which is our top priority.”
He encouraged the students to fully engage in their studies, appreciate diverse cultures, and forge valuable connections during their time abroad.
“However, do not forget that your primary goal is to return home. After your studies, we expect you to bring your knowledge back to our State and apply it in areas that require your innovation and leadership,” he advised.
Regarding the travel arrangements to the UK, Governor Nwifuru expressed gratitude to Allen Onyema, the founder of Air Peace, for significantly reducing transportation costs for the government.
He shared, “I want to publicly acknowledge Allen Onyema for his considerable support. When I approached him for assistance with transportation, he immediately offered the use of his aircraft. He even mentioned that if I had contacted him sooner, his foundation could have covered all costs.”
“Initially, we had 212 students planned, with three unable to travel due to pregnancy and health reasons. Currently, we are sending 204 students today (Saturday).”
“Allen informed me that the typical cost of flying to the UK is around 6 million per person, which would total over a billion for all 209 travelers, including five officials. However, he kindly reduced the total cost to 766.5 million.”
“I discussed further and requested to pay 500 million, which he agreed to. This means that over 60% of the total expenses were covered by Allen’s generosity, for which we are very thankful.”
