students to work hard to justify the investment their parents and
government are making on them to become responsible citizens.
A statement by his Special Adviser on Media Relations, Mr Fidelis Soriwei,
says the Governor gave the advice on Monday while interacting with
students of the University of Africa, Toru-Orua during an unscheduled
inspection of facilities at the institution.
He enjoined the students to avoid cultism, drug abuse and other antisocial
behaviours that are capable of truncating their good dreams for the
future.
Governor Dickson who charged the academic community to be conscientious,
noted that his administration was making targeted investment in the
education sector as it remained the bedrock of sustainable development.
Fielding questions from workers and students of the University, he assured
that government was doing everything within its reach to ensure that the
UAT distinguishes itself as a world class tertiary institution in the near
future.
To promote self-reliance, he said the school curriculum had been carefully
developed to inculcate entrepreneurship in the students for them to be
potential employers of labour even before graduation.
To this end, the Governor noted that government had already donated the
School of Agriculture, Ofoni and the Bayelsa State Integrated Farms at
Ebedebiri to the University.
According to the Governor, “the vision of government is to turn out
quality products that would be sought after by well meaning organizations
both within and outside the country.”
To achieve this, he urged the students to take their academic and moral
lessons seriously with a view to contributing meaningfully towards the
development of Bayelsa and the country at large.
He also advised them against the abuse of drugs which according to him was
harmful to their lives.
Earlier, Miss Okpoebi Tounaregha, a member of staff of the University,
commended the Governor for his thoughtfulness in establishing the
university.
Miss Tounaregha noted that presence of the Institution would not only
enhance educational development in the state but also fast-track the
urbanization process of the host community.
The Governor was accompanied on the inspection tour by the Vice Chancellor
of the University, Prof. Valentine Aletor, its Registrar, Mr Francis
Owusu-Mensah, Commissioner for Education, Hon Jonathan Obuebite, the
Commissioner for Works and Housing, Mr. Godwin Konyefa, among other top
government functionaries.