Governor Henry Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State has advised Nigerian 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, the Commissioner for Education, Hon Jonathan Obuebite, the Commissioner for Works and Housing, Mr. Godwin Konyefa, among other top government functionaries.
