The newly appointed Federal Commissioner of the National Population Commission representing Nasarawa State, Dr Joseph Kigbu, has donated a classroom block worth N55 million to the Barraki Abdullahi community in the Lafia Local Government Area of the state.
Speaking during the handing-over ceremony on Saturday, Kigbu, who represented Lafia/Obi Federal Constituency between 2011 and 2015, said the donation was to give back to society and support the state government’s efforts to make education more accessible to residents.
The former lawmaker explained that the project, located at the Roman Catholic Mission Primary School in the community, comprises three classrooms, an office, a solar power system to ensure a steady electricity supply, fans, tables, chairs, and other facilities.
“This is the school I graduated from, and since God has blessed me, I decided to support the school to make it more conducive for learning.
“The aim is to help students learn using modern technologies available today. We want to ensure that students in our villages do not have to travel to urban centres to access electricity for teaching and learning,” he said.
Kigbu, recently appointed by President Bola Tinubu as the NPC commissioner for Nasarawa State, further explained that he has been serving humanity for many years, with or without political appointments, because he believes society can only improve when citizens support one another.
He added, “Even before I was elected to the House of Representatives in 2011, I ran a medical forum that provided free medical treatment to indigent people across the state.
“While in public office, there was no part of my constituency where I did not make an impact through projects and empowerment programmes.
“I provided quality representation, and the free medical treatments continue in the state and other parts of the country.”
He took the opportunity to thank President Bola Tinubu and the state’s
Governor, Abdullahi Sule, for his recent appointment as a federal commissioner representing Nasarawa State at the NPC.
He also declared his intention to contest the 2027 governorship election in the state, assuring All Progressives Congress stakeholders and residents of greater achievements if elected.
On his part, Governor Abdullahi Sule, represented by the Permanent Secretary of the State Ministry of Education, Mohammed Sani-Bala, expressed gratitude to the former lawmaker for the donation.
He described the project as significant, saying it would greatly complement government efforts to provide quality education in the state.
He stated, “In this regard, I find Dr Joseph Kigbu’s gesture very commendable. He has responded to the clarion call by assisting and intervening in education delivery in Nasarawa State.
“I therefore urge other well-meaning individuals to assist the less privileged, especially in education, as the government cannot do it all. Education is a very expensive venture.”
Similarly, earlier in his speech, Nasarawa State Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Aliyu Bello, expressed delight with the quality of the project and congratulated Dr Kigbu on his new appointment at the National Population Commission.