The Senator representing Ebonyi South Senatorial District, Senator Michael Ama Nnachi, has awarded scholarships and Bursaries to over 300 indigent students from the zone.
The beneficiaries who are students of tertiary institutions also got some educational materials.
About 50 students were captured in the scholarships scheme while 250 students were for bursaries.
The exercise which was held in conjunction with the National Mathematics centre took place at the Senator’s residence, Itim Edda in Afikpo South local government Area of Ebonyi state.
Speaking at the event, Senator Nnachi said the gesture was aimed at supporting learning in ICT, Mathematics & Scientific Education in Ebonyi South Senatorial District.
The Senator who was represented by Dr Gideon Osi further disclosed that the gesture was aimed at improving human capital development in the district.
Osi who encouraged the students to pursue their academics with seriousness said the best gift you can give to anyone is quality education.
He urged the beneficiaries to continue to raise the bar of performance in their academics and embrace the emerging technological skills and the vast opportunities of the digital economy.
He said; “The best gift you can give to anyone in the society is quality education. So, many people drop out of school because they can’t afford to pay school fees. So, it is therefore very important that our leaders begin to think like Senator Ama Nnachi to inject resources to provide support to students because the students you see today are going to be leaders of tomorrow, so if you don’t equip them you can’t blame them if they don’t have the capacity to lead.
“It is our own desire to make sure from time to time we must come back and know how these ones are doing. It’s not just paying their school fees or giving them grants, you must follow them up and give them support because if they succeed you have succeeded. If we don’t support them and just relaxed, they will become dangerous people in the society tomorrow. We must invest in this generation, so tomorrow can be better for all of us”.
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Commenting on the selection process adopted for the scholarship and disbursement, Osi said the selection process was supervised by Students Union leaders of proven records who painstakingly selected the beneficiaries who are committed students from poor families background across Ebonyi South Senatorial District.
“Particularly inform the selection committee, the student leaders, that they must be students who are serious from poor families, who have what it takes to be able to follow through their studies and come out. Our interest is to help the poorest of the poor and that’s what Senator Ama Nnachi stands for so that tomorrow they will also do the same to help other people to rise, we can only go far by helping others to rise”
While assessing the disbursement of the educational grants, Engr Agada Sunday, a representative of the Hon. Minister for Special Duties and Governmental Affairs, Sen. George Akume, expressed satisfaction with the conduct of the exercise and advised the students to be serious with their studies.
He encouraged the youths to embrace technological practices to enable them explore opportunities that abound in the emerging technological world.
According to him, digital skills and training would enable youth to be self-reliant.
He said the exercise was in line with the current administration’s policy to improve science and innovation in the Country.
He applauded the ingenuity of Sen. Nnachi, stating that the best empowerment remained educational intervention.
“The mandate of the federal government is to eradicate poverty and what you are seeing today, this particular Senator and Dr OC, they are speaking to this mandate already, because they are giving scholarships to two hundred and fifty youths. This will make them independent and give them the qualifications to be gainfully employed. This is human capital development and that’s what the nation needs. I’m very thankful to our Senator for carrying out this disbursement and it will go a long way to raise our youths and Nigeria at large”
Mr Philip Longa, who is the Desk Officer of the project from the National Mathematical Center, described Senator Nnachi as a politician that has the interest of his people at heart.
He urged the beneficiaries to make use of the educational grants judiciously
Some of the benefiting students including Ben Nkama of Afikpo South; Aruo John of Ivo and Chinyere Orji who spoke on behalf of others, expressed their happiness about the grants and the ICT equipment and commended Senator Michael Ama Nnachi for initiating the programme.
Senator Nnachi, who is the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) is seeking the mandate to return to the Senate.
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