Senator representing Abia Central Senatorial District, Austin Akobundu, has awarded education grants of ₦200,000 each to 114 students from the district studying in tertiary institutions across Nigeria, as part of efforts to support access to quality education.
The grants were presented during a ceremony held in Umuahia, where the lawmaker also disbursed ₦7.2 million as full payment for the remaining two semesters of 113 beneficiaries under his three-year scholarship programme at the National Teachers Institute (NTI).
Addressing the beneficiaries, Senator Akobundu reaffirmed his commitment to the educational advancement and socio-economic development of youths in Abia Central, describing education as the foundation of national development.
He said no student should be forced to abandon his or her education because of financial hardship, assuring that his office would continue to expand educational support despite limited resources.
The senator also highlighted several empowerment initiatives facilitated through his office, including the training of 400 secondary school students in Embedded Systems Engineering, Robotics and Artificial Intelligence, as well as ICT training for 360 youths in fields such as software development, cybersecurity, digital marketing, UI/UX, web design and data science.
He added that 300 youths and women had also been trained in paint and cosmetics production, while beneficiaries of sewing and agricultural programmes received start-up equipment, farm inputs and financial support to establish their businesses.
Beneficiaries commended the senator for fulfilling his promises, describing him as a leader committed to youth development and educational advancement. They pledged continued support for his programmes, noting that his interventions had positively impacted many families across the senatorial district.
Chairman of the planning committee and former lawmaker, Hon. Stanley Nwabuisi, disclosed that beneficiaries were selected from the six local government areas in Abia Central through a merit-based process that also prioritised indigent students.
The event was attended by the Vice-Chancellor of Amadeus University, Prof. Henry Eke, political leaders, stakeholders, and representatives of the National Teachers Institute, among other dignitaries.
