President of the Senate, Senator David Mark at the weekend awarded scholarship to over 3000 students of Benue State origin in tertiary institutions across the country.
He also announced automatic scholarship to all the first class graduates to pursue their masters degree program in any university of their choice henceforth.
In addition, Senator Mark extended the scholarship to 109 physically challenged students one each from all the Senatorial Zones of the country. This category of recipients would however be nominated by his or her Senator.
A total of 9,249 students have so far received the scholarship under David Mark Scholarship Scheme (DMSS) which started in 2005 for which over N150million naira have been disbursed.
Distributing the cheques to the awardees in his Otukpo country home at the weekend, Senator Mark noted that education remains the undisputed legacy any body, group or government can bequeath to the younger generation.
According to Mark, ” I am very passionate about the education of our youths because I believe that with good education, the people can be liberated and over come the twin problem of poverty and disease.
” I am of the strong conviction that a lot of the social vices in our society today; arm robbery, kidnapping and violence would have no place in our society if people are properly educated”.
Senator Mark stated that a board of trustee is already in place to manage the scheme even after him to guarantee its sustenance.
He therefore pleaded with students to distance themselves from any anti-social behaviour capable of undermining their bright future as leaders of tomorrow.
His wife, Helen on her part urged girls in the state to take advantage of DMSS to get education because it is the only way they can be relevant in the society, adding “educating a girl or a woman is sine qua non to educating the society”.
She said:” what senator Mark seeks to achieve through the DMSS is not to provide the fish but to teach the youths how to fish so that they can fend for themselves and become useful citizens”.
Chairman of the board of trustees, Professor James Alachi said this year’s awardees (2011/2012) includes 14 gifted girls, seven special awardees, as well as 234 Orphans and vulnerable children in the primary and secondary schools.
Professor Alachi counseled the beneficiaries to justify the awards by excelling in their academic works.
….Benue PDP Congress:Leadership is sacrifice Mark tells PDP Officials…suswam says I have delivered on my mandate
President of the Senate Senator David Mark has reminded public or political office holders that leadership is a sacrifice and a call to service to humanity and not an opportunity for self aggrandizement.
Senator Mark told the newly elected peoples democratic party (PDP) officials In Makurdi, Benue state at saturday’s congress that leadership requires the ability to manage human and material resources effectively for the general good.
He canvassed that all party members should be carried along in the scheme of things in order to avoid circumstances of disaffection saying ” even those who defected to other parties should be encouraged to return back to the fold “.
Senator Mark added that the PDP has demonstrated that it has the capacity to conduct its internal affairs democratically .
The President of the Senate urged the people to continue to support the PDP as the credible platform to deliver dividends of democracy to the citizenry.
He noted the achievements recorded by the party in the past and submitted that under the party, credible, free and fair election is guaranteed in Nigeria.
In his remarks, governor Gabriel Suswam added that the achievements of his administration has put paid the rumor by the opposition parties that his government was not performing.
Suswam told his people to ignore the allegations by the opposition parties ” because the facts are on ground that we are delivering on our promises to thepeople of Benue state.”
In the PDP state congress, all the former executive members led by Dr. Agbo Emmanuel were returned unopposed.Agbo in his acceptance speech promised not to fail in the new assignment. Mr. Paul Adah from the party’s headquarter in Abuja led the electoral panel.
