The Deputy Chief Whip of the House of Representatives, Rep. Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, has paid the West Africa School Certificate Examinations (WASCE) fees for at least 1,000 candidates in her constituency.
Onyejeocha issued the cheques to the principals of the public and private schools in her Isuikwuato-Umunneochi Federal Constituency of Abia for the 2022 WASCE.
In a speech before handing out the cheques at her Isuochi country home, the lawmaker said the payment covered the candidates in all the public secondary schools and selected private schools.
The schools included her Alma Mater, Methodist Girls Model Secondary School, Ovim Isuikwuato and Wesley International College, Isuochi.
She described the gesture as her own contribution to lift the financial burden from indigent parents and guardians struggling to give their children and wards basic education.
Onyejeocha said that the gesture had no political undertone, pointing out that she had been involved in similar philanthropy before joining politics.
She said: “It is not about politics but concern for my people.
“I remember that in my own time, I could not raise money to purchase JAMB form and registration deadline ended two days before help could come my way.
“This is what drives my passion to help students now that God gave me the grace to give succour to the poor.
“I know there are people from poor families, who cannot easily register for WASCE. So, this gesture has given them hope.
“I won’t reduce the welfare of my constituents to politics. I don’t care which party their parents belong.
“My concern is to affect lives for the good of our society.”
Onyejeocha further said that the list of beneficiaries included students that had already registered but whose fees she refunded to their indigent parents.
She admonished the beneficiaries to be focused and believe in their dreams, notwithstanding the present economic condition of their families.
She also used the event to distribute 294 bags of fertiliser to farmers in the constituency for this year’s farming season.
Mr John Ihionu of Nneato Secondary School, who spoke on behalf of other school principals, thanked Onyejeocha “for this kind and wonderful gesture”.
Ihionu appealed to other well-meaning Abia indigenes to emulate the legislator.
According to him, her intervention since the past three years has encouraged many dropouts in the area to return to complete their secondary education. (NAN)
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