Omala Education Scheme: Yahaya Offers ₦1m Scholarship »

Hon. Umar Yahaya, the lawmaker representing Omala State Constituency in the Kogi State House of Assembly, has launched a ₦6 million education empowerment scheme, including a ₦1 million scholarship for the highest-scoring candidate from the area in the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

The programme will also provide ₦50,000 each to 100 students from public and private schools across Omala Local Government Area, while educational materials will be distributed to schools in the council’s 11 wards.

Yahaya, popularly known as Connect, said the initiative was designed to ease the financial burden on students and their families, reward academic excellence and improve access to learning materials.

Under the scheme, ₦5 million has been allocated to the 100 student beneficiaries, with the remaining ₦1 million reserved for the scholarship recipient who records the highest UTME score in Omala in 2026.

The educational materials earmarked for distribution include notebooks, recommended Mathematics and English textbooks, school bags and other writing materials.

Yahaya thanked the commissioner for education, Hon. Wemi Jones for attending the programme, describing his presence as a demonstration of the state government’s interest in educational development in Omala.

Speaking at the flag-off ceremony, the Kogi State Commissioner for Education, Hon. Wemi Jones, who represented Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo, commended the lawmaker for investing in the education of young people in his constituency.

Jones said the initiative complemented the state government’s efforts to improve education and demonstrated the importance of cooperation between elected representatives and government institutions.

He noted that providing learning materials could help students concentrate on their studies while reducing the financial pressure on their parents.

The commissioner also welcomed the cash awards and scholarship, describing support for academically outstanding students as a means of encouraging hard work and healthy competition among young people.

He urged other political leaders and stakeholders to support initiatives that expand educational opportunities for children.

Jones used the occasion to highlight the Ododo administration’s education policies, including free education and the payment of external examination fees for students in public schools.

He also disclosed that the state government had committed 30 per cent of its annual budget to the education sector, saying sustained investment was necessary to improve learning outcomes and strengthen the state’s public universities.

The commissioner called on residents of Omala and other parts of Kogi East to support government policies and initiatives aimed at expanding access to education and promoting development.

The ₦6 million education scheme is expected to provide financial assistance to selected students, recognise outstanding UTME performance and extend learning-material support to schools across Omala’s 11 wards.