Rep. Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, representing Isuikwuato/Umunneochi Federal Constituency of Abia, has doled out over N12 million to register candidates for the 2020 West African School Certificate Examination (WASCE) in 16 public schools in her constituency.
Onyejeocha presented symbolic bank cheques of various sums, ranging from N333,000 to N1.591 million, to the benefitting schools at a brief ceremony in her Ngodo Isuochi country home in Umunneochi Local Government Area on Friday.
Speakinpg in an interview with newsmen, the lawmaker said that she was moved to undertake the gesture after she encountered a young lady in her area, who claimed to have been impregnated by a man, while she was soliciting for funds to register for WASCE.
She said that she took pity on the lady and decided to embark on the project, realising that there were many people of her kind, who could not write WASCE because their parents and guardians could not afford the fee.
Addressing principals and students from the benefitting schools, Onyejeocha said that the gesture was designed to help the poor in her constituency.
She warned that it should not be misinterpreted as a political gimmick.
She said that she could have quietly distributed the cheques but decided to make it public so that people would not ascribe her achievements to others.
The fourth term legislator said that she had attracted a lot of democracy dividend to her constituency but failed to publicise them.
“This is because as a Christian, I believe that whatever I did to assist my fellow human being, I did for God,” she said.
Onyejeocha said that because she did not publicise her projects in the media, her political opponents continued to accuse her of non-performance.
Speaking further in an interview with newsmen on the sideline of the event, the Deputy Chief Whip of the House of Representatives, said that her priority now was to effectively deliver on her campaign promises to her constituents.
Responding to a question on her ambition for 2023, she said that it amounted to distraction for people, who were elected in 2019, to preoccupy themselves with thoughts about 2023 polls.
“I was elected in 2019 and I have four years to deliver to my constituents those campaign promises I made.
“I do not want to be distracted with issues of 2023. I am a child of destiny so God will direct my steps when the time comes but for now, my concern is to deliver on my campaign promises,” she said.
The Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abia, Chief Donatus Nwankpa, who handed out the cheques on behalf of the lawmaker, paid glowing tribute to her for the kind gesture.
Nwankpa said that the party was proud of her for “pursuing the progressive agenda of APC.”
He further said that the present and future generations would remember her “for this kind gesture and positive support to the development of education in her constituency.”
“What she has done is investing in the future of these students,” he said, adding, “we are proud of you and we appreciate you.”
In their votes of thanks, Mrs Hannel Nnabugwu, Principal, Nunya Secondary School, which got N333,000, and Mr John Iheonu of Nneato Secondary School, which got N1.591 million, described the gesture as unprecendented in the area.
According to Nwabugwu, every year, some students drop out of school becasue they could not afford to pay the WASCE fees.
She further said that this year, some students could not resume for similar reason, adding, “when I heard about this gesture, I sent messages to them to come back.”
“In my 23 years of teaching, I have never seen this type of gesture. God shall grant you all your heart desires for doing this,” she said,
Also, Iheonu described the gesture as “the best democracy dividend ever recorded in the constituency since the return of democratic rule.”
He opined that the gesture “has the capacity to change the fortunes of the candidates and their families.”
Two of the students, Chinedu Offor (Nunya) and Gospel Okoye (Nneator), thanked the lawmaker for the gesture, saying that it had relieved their parents of the huge financial burden.
