Senator Sunday Marshall Katung (PDP- Southern Kaduna) has pledged to make Southern Kaduna a hub for special skills acquisition in the state.
Katung made this known while presenting scholarship awards to 200 students in Kafanchan.
Katung, through his foundation, had selected 25 students of higher institutions from each of the eight local government areas that make up the zone.
Represented by Mr Edward Marshall, the lawmaker stated that the lack of white collar jobs in the country meant acquiring skills was the only way out.
According to him, the scholarship offer was borne out of the need to support financially disadvantaged students in their pursuit of higher education.
He said as part of his efforts to bring educational development to his constituents, he had sponsored a bill to establish a Federal University of Technology in the zone which had passed first reading on the floor of the senate.
“We are faced with too many crises at the same time as a people and the only way out of it is through education.
“I will continue to do my best to see to it that our people have the kind of education that brings about our transformation,” he added.
In his remarks, the guest speaker, Prof. John La’ah, said education was the backbone of socio-economic development, hence the need for the zone to invest heavily in education.
La’ah decried the deplorable state of educational institutions in the area and called for collective action by all stakeholders.