By joshua 
Sen Umeh Pays N64m In Tuition Fees For Anambra Central Students On His Tertiary Scholarships For 2025/2026 Academic Session
By Charles Ifeanyi Obi
The Senator representing Anambra Central Senatorial District, Senator Dr. Victor Umeh, OFR, has disbursed a total of Sixty-Four Million Naira (N64,000,000) to 326 Students of Anambra Central Senatorial District as payment for their School Fees for 2025/2026 Academic Session. The payment marks the second phase of the Scheme launched in 2024 for Students in Tertiary Institutions.
Senator Victor Umeh in his speech revealed that the beneficiaries of the Scheme comprising of Undergraduates and Postgraduate Students in various Tertiary Institutions in Nigeria were carefully and transparently selected in collaboration with Community Leaders and other Stakeholders in the Zone, from the 58 Towns in the 7 Local Government Areas in Anambra Central Senatorial District.
He stated that although the funds for the Project were yet to be released, the cries of the Students who were facing difficulties due to the delay moved him to sourcing alternative means of funding the Project pending when the funds are released.
The Event which held at Canaan House, Awka, Anambra State on January 13, 2026, was well attended by the beneficiaries and Members of their families as well as the various Students and Youth Bodies in Anambra Central; Traditional Rulers, Religious Leaders, Anambra Central Women Leaders and President Generals of Communities in the Zone.
Special guest at the Event was the former Governor of Anambra State and prominent Presidential Candidate in the 2023 General Elections, Mr Peter Obi who extolled Senator Umeh’s investment in Education and indulgence in Human Empowerment through Education.
Mr Peter Obi who is also known for his massive support for Education within Anambra state and across various states of Nigeria stressed that the Programme initiated by Senator Victor Umeh in Anambra Central is overwhelming and unprecedented therefore, must be encouraged and sustained as it is a strategic investment in Human Capacity Development which would yield enormous benefits for the families of the beneficiaries, their Communities and the Society at large.
In their separate speeches, beneficiaries emotionally gave accounts of how they luckily enrolled into the Scheme and how it has transformed their lives and helped them actualize their academic Goals and lifelong aspirations.
Parents of beneficiaries thanked Senator Umeh for the intervention that has taken away the pains and shame of not being able to sponsor their children through higher education. They prayed for God’s continued blessings and divine rewards, and more upliftment as he continues to serve humanity compassionately.
The Manager of St. Patrick’s College, Awka and Youth Chaplain of the Catholic Diocese of Awka, Rev. Fr. Paschal Udo testified to Senator Victor Umeh’s sincere and exemplary humanitarian gestures through which he has continued to give meanings to lives of people and returned joy to families. He revealed that some of the Students of St. Patrick’s College are under the sponsorship of Senator Victor Umeh as well as some Students of Peter University jointly owned by the Catholic Diocese of Awka and the Catholic Diocese of Ekwulobia. Fr. Paschal Udo described Senator Victor Umeh as a “good Catholic” and noted that since his ordination to the Catholic Priesthood, he has never seen any politician as intentional and magnanimous as Senator Victor Umeh therefore prayed for God’s continued blessings upon him and his family.
Similarly, the Diocesan Public Relations Officer of the Anglican Students Fellowship, Awka Diocese, Mr Dike Chigozie Alexander (who is also a beneficiary) disclosed that Senator Victor Umeh graciously granted ten slots to the Anglican Students Fellowship aside other slots awarded to Members of the Anglican Faith via other means therefore affirming the transparency and non-discriminatory process of enrolment of beneficiaries in the Scheme.
Other speakers at the Event were former beneficiaries of the VUMEF who testified to Joe the Scheme has transformed their lives and encouraged new entrants to take advantage of the privilege to excel in their studies.
Religious Leaders, including Rev. Fr. Peter Uzoezie; Traditional Rulers, and Leaders of Women Groups, Men Groups and Youth Organisations also eulogized Senator Victor Umeh’s magnanimity in not only representing Anambra Central Senatorial District effectively in the Senate but also intentionally impacting lives of Constituents meaningfully through infrastructural development, skill acquisition programmes and Empowerment Initiatives, pointing out that the Education Scholarship is unprecedented and an extraordinary investments in human development which would yield enormous benefits for the society in the future.
The people assured Senator Umeh that his kind gestures especially in lifting the helpless and giving hope to the hopeless persons in Anambra Central Senatorial District will not go unnoticed and must be supported for continuity.
According to the Secretary of VUMEF, Sir Maurice Aneto, Senator Victor Umeh has been in the business of empowering people with Scholarships since 1999 which subsequently evolved to the creation of Victor Umeh Education Foundation (VUMEF) and has continued to expand over the years. He noted that the Scheme has produced hundreds of graduates with distinctions in Medicine, Engineering, Law and other Programmes, both Undergraduate and Postgraduate Degrees from within and outside Anambra Central. He pointed out that there are also students in secondary schools who are under the sponsorship of Senator Victor Umeh.
The Federal Agency in charge of the Project, the Federal University of Agriculture, Ishiagu were also on the ground to supervise the Exercise.
Highpoint of the Event was the instant payment of the Scholarship Funds by the Fidelity Bank Team. The people rejoiced as they received immediate credit alerts on their phones.