By Ugo Solomon
Honourable (Dr) Martins Achadu, the House Committee Chairman on Education and the member representing Yala II State Constituency in the Cross River State House of Assembly, has given reasons for floating an Educational Support Grant Empowerment Scheme for constituents.
Flanked by his colleagues; Hon Samuel Neji Abeng the Minority Leader and member Ikom I as well as Hon Kingsley Ntui, member representing Etung and Chairman Committee on Water Resources, during the presentation of cash gifts to beneficiaries at the Assembly Complex on Wednesday in Calabar, Dr Achadu who had lectured at the University of Calabar said the initiative was propelled by an understanding that education can bring community development across Ukelle.
“If communities must develop, you start with education, especially in professional courses. We are doing this to ensure that people are not just encouraged only by words of mouth but financially too,” he said.
Dr Achadu, whose benevolence is a watershed in the history of representation in the constituency, opined that the financial support kick-starts the first phase of his benevolence to the community and has chosen to focus on the PhDs and those in special courses such as Medicine and Law.
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“It is a drive to push those who have pushed further to even have a master’s degree, and I have indicated an interest in supporting their Doctoral Programmes, especially sharing my philosophy with them just to encourage them so that they would know that someone is also praying for them,” he maintained.
Refuting insinuations about the possible political undertone of his Educational Support Grant Empowerment, he emphasised that “The foundation of what I am doing is not for any political goal; otherwise, I would not go for the PhDs that are few, I would have gone for secondary schools and other areas.
“My reason is that when you have a PhD, it opens you up to endless opportunities and adds a unique intelligent quotient to reason in a perspective that can bring solutions to societal problems. This also helps in ensuring adequate contribution to the development of Ukelle.
“The second phase would focus on master’s degree students, and my decision to encourage law and medicine students in the first phase is that Ukelle is academically disadvantaged, and our people rarely get admission into these special programmes. However, we are consciously taking steps to address the challenge by interfacing with key stakeholders because there is always a quota for university admission and the competition is stringent. Consciously, we are making efforts that our students are adequately prepared to beat the competition”.
In an earlier address by the Committee that articulated the success of Dr Achadu’s Educational Support Grant Empowerment Scheme comprising of Dr Innocent Chigbe, Mr Pius Udeh and Ebri, the committee described those in attendance as just an extract because other beneficiaries are scattered all over the country some beneficiaries where selected from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, University of Benin and University of Ibadan.
Specifically, Dr Innocent Chigbe stated that the presentation was “Just a test run and the real ceremony would be at the village where empowerment would take place for excellent indigent students billed for Ukelle.”
The committee affirmed that it is a combination of PhD students and those reading special courses like; Medicine and law are being encouraged through financial support in their academic pursuit by the member representing Yala II state Constituency.
While reacting to the succour given to them, some of the beneficiaries eulogised Dr Achadu’s drive, resilience and passion towards tackling the development of constituents through education.
Other Cross Riverians have taken turns on social media to commend Honourable Achadu who has kept a famous pact with the Ukelle people through a meticulous approach to leadership have rode on a popular mandate elected by the people in admiration of his sterling qualities.
