By HILARY AKALUGU

A group under the aegis of Orba New Breed Association has given scholarship to 30 under-graduate indigenes of Orba in Udenu Local Government Area of Enugu State.

The chairman of the association, Mr Onyema Odo, who is also the General Manager of Enugu State Rural Electrification Board, disclosed this during the award ceremony on Saturday.

According to him, the association is made up of professionals, politicians and business men from Orba who have the interest of Orba at heart and have the objective to promote development, empowerment and education in the area.

The chairman said that the award to the 30 undergraduate students was to mark Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi’s 57 birthday, an illustrious son of Orba as well as the performing governor of Enugu state.

“We decided to give this N100,000 scholarship award to honour and celebrate the governor of Enugu State who is marking his 57th birthday today (March 20 ) because of his many achievements in Enugu State.

“Silver and gold we have none to give the governor, but we are using the scholarship award to demonstrate our unflinching love and support for his administration.

“On behalf of Orba New Breed Association, we wish the Governor a happy birthday, many more years ahead and sound health,” he said.

Also speaking, Mr Levi Abonyi, the Executive Secretary of Enugu State Scholarship Board, who is the association’s chairman Scholarship Committee, said that scholarship was meant to encourage and support brilliant undergraduate students in the area.

He said that the beneficiaries were selected based on their good performance on the test set for them.

The secretary however, noted that the selection committee ensured that there was equal spread in selecting the 30 beneficiaries among the communities in Orba.

“We ensured that the 30 beneficiaries are selected from all the communities that make up Orba.

“The Association urges the beneficiaries to make judicious use of the money by committing it to their education so as to justify the purpose of the scholarship,” he said.

Earlier, the Vice Chairman of Udenu LG Council, Mr Gideon Eze, who is also a member of the group, said that they decided to give the award on the day of Ugwuanyi’s birthday to show solidarity.

He said that it was also to express satisfaction of the association for the governor’s performance.

“This scholarship award is our birthday gift to the governor as well as the association’s little way to promote education,” he said.

Eze, however, urged the beneficiaries to use the money for the purpose it was meant for, which is assisting them in their education.

“The association will not be happy if the money is diverted to any other thing other than your education,” he said.

Kosisochukwu Eze, a 200 level students of Public Administration and Local Government, department University of Nigeria, Nsukka and Emmanuel Onyedikachi a 200 level student of Enugu State University of Science and Technology, department of Medicine and Surgery, responded on behalf of other beneficiaries.

They thanked the association for the kind gesture as well as Ugwuanyi, whose 57th birthday was used to give them scholarship.

“We promise that we will make judicious use of the money by ensuring we graduate with excellent resuls,” they said.

NAN reports that, the highlight of the event was the presentation of N100,000 cheque each to the 30 under-graduates beneficiaries (NAN)

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