Abia state governor, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu has commended the indigenes of the state in the Diaspora for supporting his educational programmes through their plan to provide scholarship to Abia children.
Speaking Saturday at his country home, Umuobiakwa, Obingwa LGA when a delegation of Abia indigenes in the Disapora, United Kingdom, led by its President, Mr Uche Kay visited him, the governor promised that his government would do everything possible to encourage them.
He also assured them that he would provide the necessary ambience that will make them achieve the establishment of their proposed school in the state.
Ikpeazu reiterated his commitment to giving opportunity to all Abia people both at home and in Diaspora to invest in the state. He stated that his administration intends to replicate Diaspora communities in various countries of the world.
A press statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Onyebuchi Ememanka, the governor said their programme would reduce his burden on educational development of Abia children, especially the less privileged.
Earlier in his speech, the leader of the delegation and President, Mr Kay said Abians living in the United Kingdom were motivated by the governor’s educational development policy and decided to come home to assist.
He said plans had been concluded to provide scholarship to five children in each of the 17 LGAs. The total is 85 persons in the state. The plan, he stated, is to make the scholarship an annual one, adding that the target is to give 500 Abia children scholarship between now and 2023.
He explained that the scholarship scheme which is for students from JSS 1 to SS3 would cater for their uniforms, books, school fees, Junior and Senior WAEC and every other fee they have to pay during the period. He added that the team has equally signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the European Union to have a placement programme, where final year students of universities in the state would be taken to UK for a two month work experience. He said the Diaspora team would take care of visa, accommodation and feeding of the students.
