Abbas Disburses N5bn Scholarships To 30,000 North-West, Students

…announces establishment of modern orphanage, 7 Federal Institutions in Zaria

By Tom Okpe

Speaker of the House of Representatives Rep Tanudeen Abbas, has disbursed a total of N5bn, as scholarships to 30,000 students from the North-West geopolitical zone, studying at various tertiary institutions.

Out of 30,000 beneficiaries, 7,000 were drawn from Kaduna State, while the rest were from the six remaining States from the North West.

As the event was ongoing, many of the students broke into jubilations as they began to receive bank alerts, indicating the payment of the scholarship, with a few, mounting the stage to break the news.

The scholarship ranges from 200,000 to 800,000, depending on the students’ courses of study.

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The scholarship is to facilitate the students’ tuition fees, and provision of books and stipends and other basic needs.

The event was held at the newly established Federal University of Education, Zaria on Friday, and attended by dignitaries such as the Kaduna State Governor, Senator Uba Sani, represented by the the Speaker, Kaduna State House of Assembly, Yusuf Liman Dahiru; Minister of Environment, Malam Balarabe Lawal Abbas; the APC National Vice-Chairman, North-West, Garba Datti Muhammad; the DG, SMEDAN, Charles Odii; the MD/CEO, Microvis Micro Finance Bank, Kayode Akinade; Chairman, Zaria Local Government, Engr Jamil Ahmad Mohammed, among others.

Speaking at the occasion, an elated Speaker Abbas, who began his career as a teacher, described the event as an ambitious education intervention programme that will touch thousands of lives across the North-West geopolitical zone, noting that it is in line with the ‘Renewed Hope Agenda’ of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration.

He said: “This is an unprecedented initiative in our region’s history. These scholarships will benefit bright young men and women from Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto, and Zamfara States.

“This is a truly grand endeavour, covering all seven States of our zone and uniting us in the pursuit of knowledge and progress.

“What makes this scholarship programme special is not just its scale, but its focus. We are directing support to students pursuing courses in critical fields like Medicine, Engineering, Law, and Technology, among others.

“By doing so, we are investing in Nigeria’s future doctors, engineers, lawyers, and innovators. Our nation urgently needs more professionals in these fields.

“Whether you become a surgeon saving lives, an engineer designing highways and bridges, a lawyer championing justice, or a technical expert creating jobs, do it with excellence and integrity.

“Make us proud and be worthy ambassadors of this programme and your Communities. We are counting on you to shine, and I have every confidence that you will.”

Speaker Abbas recalled that as part of his efforts in making sure that students from his constituency and beyond gain access to quality education, stated: “This year, we proudly sponsored 6,000 students across all public secondary schools in Zaria by covering their NECO, WAEC, and JAMB fees for the 2023/2024 academic year.

“Looking forward to the 2024/2025 academic year, we have made significant strides in our efforts by raising the number to 8,000 students for WAEC, NECO, and JAMB examinations.

“These initiatives are crucial as they enhance access to education by alleviating exam fees for students from public secondary schools. By doing so, we are effectively, reducing financial barriers, enabling students to concentrate on their studies without the burden of financial worries.”

In addition to exam sponsorship, the Speaker added: “We have prioritized the provision of education grants through the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency, SMEDAN. These grants aim to support skills acquisition and empower small educational enterprises for youth and women, thus integrating education with entrepreneurship.

“I am delighted to announce that under my stewardship, Zaria is slated to host seven new Federal Institutions as part of the 2025 budget. Some of these exciting projects are: Federal College of Agriculture; Federal Veterinary and Animal Husbandry Institute; Federal Technical College; Centre for Management Development & Technology Incubation, and School for the Disabled, Primary & Secondary.

“Similarly we have influenced the construction of faculty buildings, hostels, graduation and convocation squares in some tertiary institutions across the country, including Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kaduna State, Federal University of Technology, Akure, Ondo State and many other institutions across the country.”

He thanked President Tinubu and Governor Sani for their continued support, even as he showered encomiums on his constituents for believing in him and returning him to the House for a record forth time, pledging to continue attracting people-oriented projects to them.

In his remarks, the Kaduna State governor, Senator Uba Sani, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Alhaji Rabiu Yunusa, thanked the Speaker for his efforts, in making life better for the people of the State.

There were goodwill messages from the Speaker of the Kaduna State House of Assembly, the Minister of Environment, DG, SMEDAN, among others.

The Speaker also, announced the establishment of a modern orphanage in Zaria, which he said is a project that is close to my soul.

“In our Community-driven efforts, we could not forget the most vulnerable among us: the orphans and abandoned children. We will construct and equip an orphanage that will provide shelter, education, and love to children who have no parents or guardians.

“The orphanage will not merely be a building; it will symbolise our collective compassion. It is said that in Zaria, every child has a home. These children will have access to education and healthcare, and a caring environment to grow up in so that they too can have hope for a bright future.”