“Education, a catalyst for development”

AKWA Ibom State Deputy Governor, Mr. Nsima Ekere, has described education as a catalyst for development.

Mr. Ekere, who spoke while representing Governor Godswill Akpabio at the foundation stone-laying ceremony of the West African University of Science and Technology at Ita Uruan, pointed out that education determined, to a large extent, one’s attainment in life and health and even had implications on the people’s security and economy.

He explained that it was in realization of the cardinal role of education that the Akpabio administration declared free and compulsory education up to secondary school level which tripled school enrolment in the state within two years of the implementation of the programme.

The deputy governor expressed delight that the proposed university keyed into the education policy of the administration and predicted that the university, as conceived and planned, will turn out to be one of the best in the country.

Mr. Ekere pledged the State Government’s support to the university and reiterated the governor’s promise to construct the road leading from Calabar-Itu Highway through Uruan to the Le Meridien Ibom Hotel and Golf Resort.

Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the university, Prof. Bassey Ndon, said the university was aimed at promoting educational development of the West African sub-region and Africa as a whole.

Prof. Ndon put the estimates for essential structures, facilities and equipment in the site, as directed by the National Universities Commission, NUC, at N2.57 billion and appealed to the State Government to give the necessary financial support to establish a first-class university.