Kogi youth, student groups hail Ododo for doubling monthly subvention
- Youth and student leaders in Kogi held a press conference in Lokoja to thank Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo.
- The governor approved a 100 per cent increase in the monthly subvention paid to youth and student organisations.
- Leaders pledged transparency in spending the extra funds and urged members to keep engaging government peacefully.
Youth and student organisations in Kogi State have welcomed Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo's approval of a 100 per cent increase in the monthly subvention paid to their groups, saying the extra money will help them run their programmes better.
The leaders spoke on Tuesday at a press conference at the OJN Foundation Secretariat, Zone 8 Roundabout, Lokoja. Groups represented included the National Association of Kogi State Students (NAKOSS), the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), the Joint Campus Council (JCC), the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) Kogi chapter, the Nigeria Youth Congress (NYC), the Association of Nigerian Female Students (ANFS) Kogi chapter and the Kogi State Youth Parliament.
The sources did not say how much the subvention was before the increase, or the new monthly amount.
What the governor's aide said
Hon. Oladele John Nihi, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Youth and Student Matters, said the approval showed Ododo's commitment to youth empowerment and to strengthening the bodies that represent young people.
According to Nihi, the higher funding will help the organisations deal with running costs and do more in areas such as student welfare, leadership training, policy advocacy and community work. He said it also reflects a government that sees young people as partners in governance.
The youth and student leaders, in their separate remarks, thanked the governor and promised to manage the funds with transparency and accountability. They said the increase comes with a duty to deliver more for their members.
They also asked young people across the state to keep engaging the government constructively and to work for peace, unity and development.
Why it matters
For students and youth groups in Kogi, the money covers the day-to-day cost of running their associations, from campus welfare work to advocacy. The leaders argued that steady support for such groups gives young people a stronger voice in how the state is run.
They called for continued investment in student welfare, youth empowerment and inclusive governance, and said the extra funds should push beneficiary organisations to perform better.
What happens next: The sources did not give a date for when the increased payments will start or how the funds will be shared among the groups. The leaders said they would account for how the money is spent.
