*By Brenda Chidinma Imo-Eze*
The member representing Ikwo/Ezza South Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, on Thursday, launched the payment of West Africa Examination Council (WAEC) fees for 507 underprivileged students, along with the purchase of Joint Admission Management Board (JAMB) forms for 500 candidates.
The total sum of 13,689,000 naira was disbursed to facilitate students’ participation in the 2024 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) across both public and private schools in the federal constituency.
In his remarks during the flag-off ceremony, Governor Francis Nwifuru, represented by the Commissioner for Primary and Secondary Education, Prof. Paul Nwobashi, commended Rep Ogah for alleviating the financial burden on families, while stressing on the need for diligent preparation for exams on the part of the students.
Rep Ogah, who also serves as the Chairman of the House Committee on Reformatory Institution, pointed his foundation’s longstanding commitment to supporting underprivileged students.
“Our purpose here today is very simple, we have been doing this, and these started before I became the honourable member, but this one is taking a different direction, we use to give them cash to register but we find out most of them use to abuse it, but now we pay directly to WAEC.
“We are going to give out the schools, 40,000 naira transport to our public schools, private schools 30,000 naira for IGR.This is to continue the good work of our Governor.
“Our Governor has already flagged off operation go back to school, we that are lawmakers needs to complement that effort .
We are good number of people that are going to law school , our Excellency have giving them 300,000 naira , as a lawmaker, as the son of the governor, I am going to support that programme with 100,000 , each people in my constituency will get the money right here.”
“We are doing this based on the good leadership of our governor, that is what we are doing here today, these is the people that voted for us , these are those that stood in the sun and voted for us. It is our duty to translate what the governor is doing in our constituency down to our pulling units.” He stated.
Speaking Mrs. Gloria Mgbike and Mrs. Doris Enock, both controllers of WAEC and JAMB respectively expressed gratitude to Rep Ogah for his generosity.
Adding, “you have always been the man of the people, the man who doesn’t segregate. We are happy, because we got an invitation that we had 500 form, the JAMB form is 7,700 naira. If everyone is doing what he is doing, the State would develop. May others replicate what he is doing in this constituency.” She therefore urged the students to reciprocate the gesture by passing their exams in flying colours.
Other stakeholders, including the chairman of the Secondary Education Board Mrs. Lilian Nwankwo and traditional rulers also lauded the initiative, stressing the importance of quality education in shaping the future of the youth.