Nigeria @66/Ebonyi @30: Nwifuru Highlights Education Gains, Infrastructure, Scholarships

Governor of Ebonyi State, Francis Nwifuru

From Nabob Ogbonna, Abakaliki

The Governor of Ebonyi State, Francis Nwifuru has disclosed that his administration had recorded significant achievements in the education sector within its three years in office, particularly in infrastructure development, scholarships and human capital development across the state’s higher institutions.

He said other areas of intervention included healthcare, agriculture and security, as well as the expansion of educational opportunities for indigent youths in the state to further their studies both within Nigeria and abroad.

Governor Nwifuru stated this on Thursday at the Pa Ngele Oruta Township Stadium in Abakaliki, the state capital, during the celebration of Nigeria’s 66th Independence Anniversary and the 30th anniversary of the creation of Ebonyi State.

According to him, his administration, within the last three years, had pursued wide-ranging interventions across critical sectors of the state.

“Within these three years, we have pursued interventions covering infrastructure, scholarships, human capital development, health, agriculture and security, as well as the expansion of opportunities for our young people,” he said.

Nwifuru noted that one of the administration’s significant interventions in the education sector was the construction of 39 model classroom blocks across the 13 Local Government Areas of the state.

He said the government had also strengthened the provision of teaching and learning materials, including textbooks and reference materials, while improving early-childhood education resources, furniture and other instructional facilities in schools.

“Our major interventions also include the construction of 39 model classroom blocks across the 13 Local Government Areas of the state.
“We have also strengthened the provision of teaching and learning materials, including textbooks and reference materials, early-childhood education resources, furniture and other instructional facilities.
“We are also investing in our teachers because no education system can rise above the quality and capacity of its teachers,” he said.

On the government’s postgraduate scholarship programme, the governor said his administration had introduced both foreign and local scholarship opportunities for deserving Ebonyi graduates, particularly in science-related disciplines.

“Consequently, our administration introduced foreign and local postgraduate scholarship opportunities for deserving Ebonyi graduates.
“Our philosophy is that we do not want Ebonyi to export only agricultural produce; we want Ebonyi to export knowledge, innovation, expertise and excellence,” he explained.

The governor further disclosed that a world-class Senate Building at the ICT University, Oferekpe Agbaja, was nearing completion, alongside eight three-storey hostel blocks under construction.

“We have fared well in education, as we have completed a world-class Senate Building at the ICT University, Oferekpe Agbaja, while the construction of eight three-storey hostel blocks is ongoing.
“We have also completed and commissioned the Professor Fidelis Ogah Senior Staff Quarters at the ICT University.
“And work has advanced on the two new universities established by our administration.
“Currently ongoing in these new universities is the construction of 12 luxury two-storey faculty buildings at the University of ICT and the University of Aeronautic Engineering.
“Also ongoing is the construction of a brand-new signature Law Faculty Complex at the CAS Campus of Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, as well as a new Education Faculty Complex at the Ishieke Campus of Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki,” he stated.

The Insideoutnews reporter, who accompanied the governor on a tour of various project sites as part of activities marking Nigeria’s 66th Independence Anniversary and Ebonyi State’s 30th anniversary, observed significant construction and infrastructure development across the education sector.

The tour covered projects at the primary, secondary and tertiary levels, with several ongoing and completed projects inspected by the governor.

The development, particularly across the state’s higher institutions, reflects the administration’s stated emphasis on expanding educational infrastructure, improving learning facilities and creating greater opportunities for students and young people in Ebonyi State.