What started as a routine All Progressives Congress (APC) membership e-registration drive has transformed into a meaningful educational support program in Delta State. Comrade Reuben Izeze, the Commissioner for Works (Highways and Urban Roads), has taken decisive steps to protect the academic prospects of secondary school students in Oginibo, Imode, and Agbaghare communities within Ughelli South Local Government Area.
During the APC e-registration exercise, officials discovered that numerous students preparing for the 2026 WAEC, NECO, and JAMB examinations lacked a National Identification Number (NIN)—a compulsory prerequisite for registering for these national exams. This administrative hurdle threatened to bar otherwise eligible candidates from sitting for their papers and pursuing higher education.
Alerted to the issue, Commissioner Izeze promptly intervened by personally sponsoring NIN registrations for the affected students. This ensured they could complete their examination registrations without delay. Recognizing the broader need, he reopened the registration window to include additional eligible students from the three communities, underscoring his commitment that no motivated student should be excluded.
The initiative gained further momentum after the NECO examination centre at Oginibo Secondary School was deactivated, which would have forced candidates to travel long distances to alternative centres. Such travel posed added financial strain on families, raised risks of absenteeism, and potentially contributed to higher dropout rates.
In response, Commissioner Izeze funded the restoration process himself. NECO Zonal Office officials subsequently conducted on-site assessments and officially reactivated the centre, enabling local students to sit for their NECO examinations conveniently.
Building on this, the commissioner pledged to cover the full NECO examination fees for all candidates registering at the Oginibo Secondary School centre this year. The gesture substantially reduces the financial load on parents and guardians, who often struggle with concurrent costs for WAEC and JAMB registrations.
These coordinated efforts—free NIN registrations, reactivation of the local NECO centre, and sponsorship of examination fees—have earned widespread praise as examples of responsive, people-centered governance and strategic investment in human capital.
Residents of the benefiting communities have expressed gratitude, noting that the interventions have renewed hope and safeguarded the dreams of young people who faced serious obstacles to their education.
The commissioner’s actions build on his earlier support for over 500 APC members, whose initial exclusion from the party’s e-registration due to missing NINs was resolved through his sponsored registrations.
For the people of Oginibo, Imode, and Agbaghare, these measures highlight a leadership approach that prioritizes education as a cornerstone of lasting progress—proving that while infrastructure builds connectivity, education truly secures tomorrow’s opportunities.
