Education has received a major boost in Osisioma Ngwa North State Constituency, Abia State, as the Special Assistant to the Abia State Governor on Lands and Housing, Pastor Okorougo Aji, sponsored the 2026 Free JAMB Registration Exercise for qualified students in the area, reaffirming his commitment to empowering young people through access to higher education.
The initiative has enabled many beneficiaries to register for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), easing the financial burden on families and giving deserving students a clearer pathway to tertiary education.
Speaking during a formal handover ceremony held on Thursday, February 12, 2026, at the palace of HRH, Eze Godwin Nwala in Okpuala Umugwor Community, Osisioma Ngwa Local Government Area, Pastor Okorougo Aji said the initiative was borne out of his deep love for education, which he described as the bedrock of meaningful development and a legacy that can never be regretted.
Pastor Aji noted that the gesture aligns with the vision of Governor Alex Otti, who has made free and compulsory education a cardinal policy of his administration. According to him, it is heart-wrenching to see brilliant children denied opportunities simply because their parents cannot afford the cost of a JAMB form, urging the beneficiaries to make the most of the opportunity to achieve their academic aspirations.
He further disclosed that all successful applicants underwent a thorough screening process, which included possessing a minimum of five O’Level credits including English Language and other relevant subjects in not more than two sittings, proof of indigene status or residency in Osisioma Ngwa North Constituency, and evidence of voter registration.
The Special Assistant to the Governor on Lands emphasized that the transparent selection criteria were designed to ensure that only qualified and genuinely deserving students benefited from the exercise.
In their goodwill messages, the Commissioner for Labour and Productivity, Mr. Kingsley Chibueze Nwokocha and the Director General, Abia State Strategic Communications Bureau, Sir Barrister Onyebuchi Ememanka, while lauding Pastor Okorougo Aji, for sponsoring the JAMB registration of students in Osisioma Ngwa North Constituency and for his thoughtfulness, foresight, and unwavering commitment to education and youth empowerment, described the initiative as a transformational investment in the future of the youth.
They noted that as a political leader and top government official, he has raised the bar in community service by opening new doors of opportunity for young people through access to higher education. They also observed that at a time when many families are grappling with financial challenges, Pastor Aji’s intervention has lifted burdens and restored hope to numerous students who might otherwise have been denied the opportunity to pursue their academic dreams.
The government officials further urged the beneficiaries to take the opportunity seriously, seize the chance to chart a new course for their lives, and study diligently to justify the support extended to them while also praying that God will richly bless Pastor Aji, enlarge his coast, and grant him greater wisdom, strength, and resources to continue impacting lives positively.
In his speech, the traditional ruler of Okpuala Umugwor Community, Osisioma Ngwa Local Government Area, Eze Godwin Nwala, admonished the beneficiaries to be good ambassadors of their families and the society at large and thanked Pastor Aji for the sponsorship, noting that this is the first of its kind in Okpuala Umugwor Community.
In a vote of thanks on behalf of the recipients, Miss Precious Chinwenmeri Anariochi, thanked Pastor Okorougo Aji for the sponsorship and promised that they will make him and Osisioma North State Constituency proud.
The event attracted the presence of the Ward Councillors representing Osisioma Ngwa North in Osisioma Ngwa Legislative Council including Hon. Ahaoma Ajuzie, Chidiebere Njoku, Chibuike Akor, parents and guardians of the students, community leaders and students, who commended Pastor Aji for what they described as a timely and impactful intervention in the education sector.
