The Katsina State Government on Wednesday announced the sponsorship of sixty-eight talented candidates to study Bio-economics and Artificial Intelligence in China.
The candidates, selected from public secondary schools across the state, underwent a rigorous selection process and passed a special examination.
The state Commissioner for Higher, Technical, and Vocational Education, Professor Abdulhamid Ahmed confirmed the initiative.
He revealed that two candidates were selected from each of the thirty-four local governments in the state.
The Commissioner added that following approval from the State Executive Council, all expenses for the students, including tuition fees, accommodations, and other necessary materials for their four-year studies, have been covered.
Meanwhile, the state government has also approved over 1.4 billion naira for the provision of rice and stipends as palliative measures.
The state Commissioner for Religious Affairs, Alhaji Ishaq Dabai announced the initiative.
He revealed that the initiative targeted thirty-three thousand vulnerable individuals across thirty-one local government areas.
Each beneficiary will receive twenty-five kilograms of rice and stipends to purchase soup ingredients.
The state government has also approved the allocation of over 1.5 billion naira for the supply of fifteen thousand bags of rice to be distributed as cooked meals to less privileged persons across all thirty-four local governments.
The state Commissioner for Local Governments and Chieftaincy Affairs, Professor Badamosi Lawal outlined the plan to distribute processed food across three hundred and sixty-one electoral wards, which he said, would benefit women, youths, traditional rulers, Ulamas, and local government staff.
Governor Dikko Radda’s Chief Press Secretary, Ibrahim Mohammed highlighted all these in a press statement made public in katsina on Wednesday.