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The Academic Staff Union of Universities have granted N400,000 scholarship to two students of the Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki.
The two beneficiaries to get N200,000 each are final-year students of Medicine and Surgery at the EBSU.
They are Ms Onwe Emmanuella C. and Chukwuemeka Ogar P.
Presenting the cheques to the students in Abakaliki, the ASUU Chairman, Ebonyi State University chapter, Dr. Okechukwu Igwenyi, said the beneficiaries were selected based on some stringent but transparent determinable parameters.
He observed it was wrong to blackmail the ASUU as a body known for only strikes and industrial actions, adding, “We are here to inform the public that apart from fighting for improved funding and protect the autonomy of universities, we also care for students by providing annual scholarship awards to successful indigent students from all the public universities in Nigeria.
“There is no gainsaying the fact that the ruling class is surreptitiously making education very expensive and unaffordable by common Nigerians.
"School fees, meals, consumables and other sundry expenses have become so expensive and beyond the reach of the common man such that students who refuse to drop out have been pushed into unthinkable ventures to stay on campus and acquire the necessary university education."
Igwenyi expressed concerns over the deplorable conditions of students' welfare, security and the depressed and unpredictable national economy which had compelled some students to seek other distractive sources of income to afford their school fees and other basic needs.
He added, “Our scholarships award scheme has been running for years and we provide research support presently to the tune of N500,000 as Ph.D Research Grant to selected members of ASUU in all public universities in Nigeria. Three of our members have benefitted from that scheme.
“Beyond our members, we also have our students in our plan. It is, therefore, imperative to mention now that over the years and as part of our Corporate Social Responsibility, ASUU National Executive Council has been dispensing monies from our check-off deductions and offer the same as scholarship grants to select indigent students across the country based on some stringent but transparently determinable parameters.”
One of the beneficiaries, Ms Onwe Emmanuella, said she was elated when information got to her that she was selected for the scholarship award, adding that with the sum of N200,000 she would offset her outstanding school fees.
She said, “I feel elated, because I have waited for a long time for the outcome of the screening. With this scholarship, I am sure I will be able to offset my outstanding school fees that have been waiting for me for a long time."
