Umeh offers N64m scholarship to 326 students in Anambra

From Obinna Odogwu, Awka

The senator representing Anambra Central Senatorial District in the National Assembly, Chief Victor Umeh, has offered scholarships worth N64 million to 326 students in the senatorial zone.

Umeh, at a ceremony held at Cana House, Awka, said that the scholarship was in fulfillment of his promise to invest in the future of the young people in the senatorial zone by funding their education at the tertiary level.

“It’s been ongoing. For the Anambra Central, I set up this scheme in 2018 when I first went to the senate. At that time, we gave scholarship to 76 students drawn from the seven Local Government Areas in Anambra Central Senatorial District, 10 per local government; then six additional people based on special needs. 76 of them.

“All of them went through their studies in the universities. Even when I wasn’t in the senate, I absorbed them in my education foundation and by 2023, all of them have graduated; some with First Class, some in medicine, some in architecture, accountancy; all the professions were covered.

“And when I came back to the senate in 2023, I had to continue from where I stopped. I took the first set of students 223 drawn across the seven LGAs in Anambra Senatorial District. And all of them were selected based on the special needs of the students. I don’t like calling them indigent students; I call them less privileged, people who did not have parents or people who can pay their fees.

“We carefully selected them through the town unions. All the towns in Anambra Central Senatorial District had representatives; two from each community. We have 58 towns. We had 116 so that every community will have two persons. And from other stakeholders we raised them to 223.

“Then, in this current academic year, I increased it to 326 because people continued to surge, to seek help. And from that place we were able to take from the stakeholders again, first of all, from across the communities again, then from the stakeholders. And we got them to 326. All of them received their school fees today to the glory of God”, Umeh said.

Former governor of the state, Mr. Peter Obi, in his remarks, commended Umeh for thinking it necessary to invest in the future of the youth, saying that it was a wise decision.

Obi, who described education as the “most important thing you need in your life”, urged the young people to make the best of the opportunity which the senator has offered them.