A member of the National Assembly, Senator
Magnus Abe, has paid school fees for 320 less-privileged students in Rivers
South-East Senatorial District, his constituency.

The spokesman for Sen. Abe, Mr. Boma
Pepple, said in Port Harcourt last Wednesday that the beneficiaries were final
year students in tertiary institutions in the state.

“About 320 students drawn from the
University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State University of Science and Technology,
University of Education, Rumuolumeni and the Polytechnic Bori benefited from
the gesture,’’ the statement said.

It said the process was driven by a
technical committee consisting of National President of students’ unions in the
senatorial district.

The statement said Dr. Innocent Barikor,
representing Gokana Constituency in the Rivers House of Assembly, represented
Abe at the presentation of cheques to the beneficiaries at Bori, Khana Local
Government on Wednesday.

Abe urged the students to pursue policies
and programmes that would enhance academic development in Ogoniland.

“You must grow beyond students’ politics
and see yourselves as leaders of tomorrow by saying no to violence, disrespect
for constituted authorities and other vices that could truncate your future,”
he said.

The Chairman of Khana Local Government, Mr
Gregory Nwidam, represented by his Vice, Mr Barine Nwilo also urged the
students to reciprocate the gesture by showing commitment to their studies.

In his speech, the President, National
Union of Ogoni Students Worldwide, Mr MeedubariKuinen, said the gesture was the
first of its kind in the history of the district.

He said the union would partner with the
senator in efforts to ensure that the people attained academic excellence.