Umana, Akwa Abom APC Gov candidate promises N50,000 bursary to students

The All Progressives Congress (APC) Governorship Candidate in Akwa Ibom, Mr Umana Okon Umana, has promised to pay N50,000 bursary award per student if elected.

Umana made the promise on Wednesday in Abak Local Government area while flagging off his state-wide campaign for the February 28 General Elections.

He said that the N5,000 currently being paid to students of the state origin in tertiary institutions was grossly inadequate given the rate of inflation in the country.

Umana, who was a former Secretary to Akwa Ibom State Government (SSG), said that if voted, his administration would pay attention to improving the standard of education in the state.

He also promised that his administration would bring real change to the state by inculcating in the students the culture of excellence through competitions.

“Merit and quality will be restored in our students from the state.

“Those that will do well in school will be looked for and trained in the best schools in the world so as to position them to compete globally.

“This is the kind of change we are talking about,” Umana said.

Umana also said that his administration would focus aggressively on agriculture, power, education, industrialisation and wealth creation.

He said that the problem of unemployment would be tackled in the state through well-planned agricultural programme

Umana said that an APC government in the state would create wealth through micro loans to petty traders and people with business ideas in the rural areas.

He said that the perennial problem of poor power supply in the state would be solved with all council areas linked to the national grid to discourage rural-urban shift.

Umana promised that if given the mandate to be governor, his administration would look inwards to enhance internally generated revenue.

He said that as an economist, his administration would be prudent in managing the resources of the state.

Umana said that he would run an open-door government where other people’s views, suggestions and ideas would be accommodated.

He urged the people to embrace the wind of change blowing across the country.

He advised Akwa Ibom people not to be afraid, but to see the coming change as God-sent.