Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) Chairman, Hon. Christopher Zakka Maikalangu, has unveiled a plan to send local students abroad for higher education, starting from the next academic year.
This groundbreaking initiative was announced during the official presentation of scholarships to 1,024 successful applicants from AMAC for the 2022/2023 academic session.
In his address at the event held at the AMAC Town Hall in Apo Resettlement, Maikalangu reiterated his commitment to supporting brilliant and less-privileged students pursuing tertiary education across the country.
The scholarship program, which selected beneficiaries from the 12 electoral wards, is part of his efforts to narrow the educational deficits facing the region.
“We aim to make the beneficiaries become better citizens in the future. For those who couldn’t benefit this year, next year will be better as we aim to continue improving,” Maikalangu emphasized.
Under this new plan, students from AMAC will have the opportunity to study abroad, acquiring valuable skills that can be brought back to the region to impact others positively. This initiative marks a significant step towards advancing educational opportunities for the youth in AMAC and fostering international collaboration in education.
He said that, despite receiving thousands of applications, 1,024 applications were considered, after a rigorous exercise conducted along with Councillors drawn from the 12 electoral wards of the Council.
Maikalangu revealed that, based on recommendations of the scholarship award committee, the council will spend N30,000,000 million on the 2022/2023 scholarship exercise.
He said: “It is my pleasure to address you this morning at the official presentation of scholarship awards to 1,024 successful applicants of Abuja Municipal Area Council origin for the 2022/2023 academic session.
“Like you all know, today’s event is very important to us because it marks the continuation of a journey towards fulfilling one of my electoral promises which is, assisting brilliant and less-privileged students in tertiary institutions across the country.
“On this note, may I inform you that at the beginning of my administration, I set up an educational scholarship committee saddled with the responsibility of screening and making recommendations for successful applicants.
“After a rigorous exercise conducted along with Councillors drawn from the 12 electoral wards of the Council, a total of 1,024 applicants were successful out of the thousands that applied to benefit. So far, based on the recommendations and outcome of the committee, we are expending N30,000,000 million on the 2022/2023 scholarship exercise.
“We are kicking-off the scholarship disbursement with an initial sixty (60) beneficiaries who will be receiving cash awards directly from me, while others, who have provided their account details to us, will receive their packages before the end of the day. All beneficiaries were drawn from the 12 electoral wards to ensure spread and equity.
“I thank God Almighty who has enabled our vision to implement the blueprint of my campaign promises as we respond proactively by narrowing the educational deficits haunting our people especially, the younger generation.
“We promised to identify with the less-privileged children and families as we strive to advance their social and educational pursuits. We aim to making the beneficiaries become better citizens in the future. For those who couldn’t benefit this year, next year will be better as we aim to continue improving.
“From next year, we will aim at sending many of you abroad to study. With skills acquired, they can come back here and impact on others and change things. I wish you all, goodluck and a very successful exercise.”
On his part, the Head of Department (HOD, Education, AMAC, Dr Sheriff Ibrahim, said that Maikalangu has helped in securing admission for many AMAC residents in the University of Abuja and for students to make the cut off mark required for admission if they need help from the AMAC Chairman.
He said: “The scholarship award by the Executive Chairman of AMAC is not surprising. He has proven himself over the months as an education friendly chairman. He has taken a giant strides by securing admission for over 70 UniAbuja students who hail from AMAC. He signed a letter and sent to the VC for their admission as they made the 180 cut off mark.
“Except for those intending to study Law and Medicine, which requires over 200 marks in JAMB, you require above 180 marks for admission in different departments. If you need help in securing admission in the 2023/2024 session, the Chairman will help as long as you meet the cut off mark as long as you are an AMAC indigene.”
Also speaking, the President of AMAC Students Association (ASA), Miss Salihu Honest Gode, who is Also a final year student of Accounting in University of Jos, said that the beneficiaries, especially students from AMAC in different institutions, are grateful for the scholarship and will support Maikalangu in all his political aspirations.
“I can’t express how we feel because we’re simply overwhelmed with tears of joy. This is quite unexpected. We have never benefited anything of this nature. We’re grateful to Maikalangu for this magnanimity. We will have his back when the time comes,” she said.
