By Abasi Ita
About 1,000 university students in Cross River North have received a major financial boost following the release of the second tranche of a N100 million bursary by Senator Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe.
Payment alerts began reaching beneficiaries on Monday, signalling the completion of the disbursement process. The final N50 million tranche follows an earlier payment made in December 2025.
The bursary programme was divided into two equal parts of N50 million each and spread across the 54 wards in the senatorial district, with no fewer than 20 students benefiting from each ward.
In a statement, the senator reiterated his commitment to promoting education and supporting students within his constituency. He explained that the initiative is designed to reduce the financial strain on families and enable students to focus on their studies.
Jarigbe, who serves as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Gas, had launched an online application portal in August 2025 to ensure a transparent and inclusive selection process for eligible students.
Beneficiaries were drawn from the five local government areas in the district, with at least 100 students selected from each area across 11 tertiary institutions.
The institutions include the University of Calabar, University of Cross River State, Federal College of Education Obudu, Federal Polytechnic Ugep, and the University of Education and Entrepreneurship, Akamkpa.
Others are the Institute of Technology and Management Ugep, College of Health Technology Calabar, and the Colleges of Nursing and Midwifery in Calabar, Itigidi, Ogoja, and Obudu.
The bursary scheme has been described as a timely intervention, offering critical support to students navigating rising educational and living costs.