By Nsan Ndoma-Neji, Calabar
A chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, and senatorial candidate for Cross River Central senatorial district in the 2023 general election, Rt. Hon. Eteng Jonas Williams, has pledged to initiate scholarship programme that would assist indigent and intelligent students in the senatorial district pursuing academic programmes in the nation’s tertiary institutions complete their programmes.
Eteng, who is the current Speaker of the Cross River State House of Assembly CRHA, made the pledge in an interactive session with CompassNG correspondent in Calabar yesterday.
He stated that with the scholarship programme, students, whose parents and guardians may not have the wherewithal to assist them pursue their programmes in school to a conclusion, stand the chance to benefit from the initiative.
Eteng said, “This is a programme that was first initiated by distinguished Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba, when he represented our senatorial district at the National Assembly and many benefitted. I intend to bring the scholarship programme back again.
“A lot of impact was felt. I know a lot of persons who through that scholarship programme have become useful individuals and are today well placed in the society.
“Without that programme, they would have been no where. For anyone to abandoned such a lofty programme that impacted so much on youths, thereby boosting the human capital development in the senatorial district is not right.”
While stressing that the voices of the people of the senatorial district have not been heard at the national level, the law maker said,” It is not just about coming to say you are doing motorbikes empowerment.
“Do something which impact would be felt by the constituents. If you are doing a scholarship programme, let’s see it and feel it.”
While emphasing on how education remains the lifewire to any modern day society, the Speaker promised to initiate programmes that will boost educational development in the senatorial district.
He added, “Apart from giving priority attention to education, I will also drag infrastructural development to the senatorial district.
“Having been a presiding officer in the legislature, I know what it means to attract projects to the state.”
He said that the experience gained over the years as a lawmaker will help him to attract lofty projects and programmes from the federal level, not only to his senatorial district, but to the entire state, if allow to represent his constituency at the National Assembly.
On the rehabilitation of Odukpani-Akparavuni highway, which leads to the Central senatorial district, the APC senatorial candidate said, “I will make a case for speedy rehabilitation of the road for easy vehicular movement.
“Fortunately enough, since I became a legislator, I have been in various budget committees. I have an idea of how budgets are done.
“I would use my residual knowledge on budgeting to attract projects and programmes to my constituency.”
