Reps Speaker, Abass, Doles Out N5 Billion To 30,000 Students In North West

By Ayodele Oni

The Speaker of the House of Representatives Abbas Tajudeen, disbursed a total of N5 billion 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.

Spokesman of the Speaker, Musa Abdullahi Krishi in a statement on Saturday stated that the scholarship ranges from N200,000 to N800,000 depending on the students’ courses of study.

The statement added that the scholarship is to facilitate the students’ tuition fees, and the provision of books and stipends.

Beneficiaries were drawn from the seven north-western states of Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto, and Zamfara.

The disbursement was facilitated through the Small and Medium Enterprise Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) in collaboration with Microvis Micro Finance Bank.

This is even as the Speaker announced the establishment of a modern orphanage in Zaria, which he said is “a project that is very close to my soul.”

Speaking at the occasion, Abbas, 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.

“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, every corner of the North-West.

“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.”

On the modern orphanage, the Speaker said: “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.”