Kaduna Speaker Pays ₦40m NECO Fees, Doles Out N60m To Constituents
By Hussaina Yakubu
The Speaker of Kaduna State House of Assembly, Yusuf Dahiru Liman, has paid N40 million registration fees for 1,000 students sitting for NECO Senior Secondary School Examination in his constituency.
The Speaker also doled out N60 million welfare packages for the constituents, including APC stakeholders, and underprivileged residents of Makera and Kaduna South.
Liman, who represents Makera constituency in the state assembly, made the announcement during the official launch of the NECO Scholarship Initiative in Kaduna.
According to him, the education support began in 2016 with only 100 beneficiaries but now covers 1,000 students.
He reaffirmed his commitment to sustaining the programme beyond his tenure as Speaker, because education remains the most effective tool for youth empowerment.
Liman said more girls should apply for the next scholarship cycle and pledged to sponsor students interested in sitting for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
He said that resit fees have already been paid for over 500 students who failed their previous NECO examination.
The Speaker solicited support for Governor Uba Sani, hailing his two years as governor of Kaduna State as far more successful than the governor who served between 2015 and 2023.
“I have spent eight years in the House of Assembly and never received ₦8 million at once. At one point, I was suspended and even suffered spinal paralysis. Only Governor Uba Sani came to my rescue,” he recalled.
“Governor Uba Sani has stayed focused on projects delivery without distraction. He has not borrowed a kobo but is financing development from personal resources. I’m confident he will complete all abandoned projects inherited from the last administration.”
In his remarks, the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Malam Sani Liman Kila, hailed the Speaker’s intervention as a major boost to human capital development.
He eaffirmed the state government’s commitment to security, education, and social infrastructure.
“Before now, many routes such as Birnin Gwari were considered dangerous, but they are now safe to travel under this administration,” he said.
The scholarship beneficiaries were drawn from seven public secondary schools: ASD Makera, GSS Makera, GDSS Barnawa, GDSS Kakuri, GDSS Maimuna Gwarzo, and GDSS Television.
Also speaking, the APC Chairman, Kaduna South Local Government Area, Yakubu Ibrahim Soso, commended the Speaker for giving back to his community, describing the educational support as an investment for the future.
An Islamic scholar, Mallam Ibrahim Mahe, emphasized the role of education in curbing social vices and driving development.
He urged the beneficiaries to excel in their academic pursuits and make the most of the opportunity.
