No fewer than 1,371 indigent Benue State students, yesterday, benefited from the annual David Mark Scholarship Foundation scheme for the year 2016/2017. The students, drawn from primary schools up to the university level from the 23 local government areas of state, received between N20,000 and N250,000 as support from the foundation.
Speaking, their benefactor, Senator David Mark, who was represented by his wife, Helen, implored the beneficiaries to put the money to good use to enhance their educational pursuit. Mark said: “I instituted this scholarship scheme because of my firm belief and conviction that the path to the greatness of any nation is the effort put to its capital development and the starting point is the education of young people who are the foundation for tomorrow.” Guest speaker and Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, governorship aspirant, Professor Tor Iorapuu, in his speech, commended the immediate past Senate President for instituting the scheme and urged other well to do Nigerians to emulate his example. His words: “It is said that when one is in solidarity with the poor he or she is with God, so no doubt, Senator David Mark by his action with and for the poor is with God.” Earlier, Chairman of the Foundation, Professor James Alachi, who commended Mark for sustaining the scheme which gulp N50 million annually, said over 18,375 students had benefited from it in the last 12 years.
Source: Vanguard
