RAYMOND OZOJI reports
The House of Representatives member representing Ihiala Federal Constituency at the National Assembly Rt.Hon.Dr Paschal Arinzechukwu Agbodike has taken his scholarship scheme to Federal Cooperative College Oji River Enugu State where about 500 students of Ihiala origin would benefit immensely.
Agbodike who visited the school recently, described Federal Cooperative College Oji River as very serene and conducive for learning; declaring that the school has what it takes to train and empower Nigerian youths with requisite economic cum entrepreneurial skills to enable them become future wealth creators and employers.
Agbodike who explained that the scholarship programme will cover their tuition and hostel fees, said that the import of the education support programme was to assist indigent boys and girls from Ihiala whose parents couldn't afford tertiary education for them.
He also stated that another reason for his scholarship schemes were to use education as a veritable platform for youths to change negative mindsets and poor orientations especially as it concerns quick money syndrome through criminality.
Apart from Federal Cooperative College Oji River, the lawmaker also disclosed that he has another scholarship programme for 1000 persons of Ihiala origin across Nigeria from primary to tertiary level for the 2025 academic session only and that N250 Million has been allocated to it in the 2025 budget appropriations.
Agbodike who is also a member of the House of Representatives Committee on Agriculture, assured the college management that the institution will continue to get federal government support to enable it realize its vision and mission of producing graduates that will contribute meaningfully to the nation's economy.
Responding, the Provost and Chief Executive Officer of the Federal Cooperative College Oji River, Dr. Jude Ejikeme Obidiegwu, said that the House of Representatives member representing Ihiala Federal Constituency was in the school to identify with the college with respect to man power development in his constituency. He noted that the Reps Member is very passionate about human capital investment and human capital development for the people that he represents at the national assembly.
Obidiegwu stated that the Reps Member had a tour of the college facilities as well as a collaborative engagement with the college management. He said part of the discussions the lawmaker had with the college management was how he could send some indigenes of Ihiala federal constituency to the college.
The Provost stated that the Reps Member was highly motivated towards the gesture because they believe that every Nigerian child should have access to quality education and that the nation's education system should be subsidized so that the average Nigerian family would be able to afford higher education training.
Obidiegwu therefore posited that the Federal Cooperative College Oji River is focused on technical, vocational, entrepreneurial skills development and that the graduates produced in the college are strong enough to be independent and to be more market oriented to lessen the burden of the unemployment status of the Nigerian state.
He pointed out that the major motivation for the federal lawmaker was the affordable tuition and school fees as well as the serenity of the college environment and staff and students attitudes, for him, the Federal Cooperative College Oji River is an ideal place for learning.
He said Agbodike promised to send some students to the school and that he assured him that any student sent to the school under his watch as the Provost and Chief Executive Officer is safe and that he should hold him accountable for the investments he is making in the college.