Gov. Godwin Obaseki of Edo state

Jethro Ibileke/Benin
Bent on improving the quality of education in the State, Edo State Government has so far donated about N147 million to six State-owned tertiary institutions for capacity building and man power development.

Governor Godwin Obaseki dropped this hint when a coalition of student unions and youth groups from the state paid a courtesy visit to the Government House in Benin on Tuesday.

The Governor who was represented on the occasion by his Chief of Staff, Mr. Taiwo Akerele, said his government would extend its direct grants Scheme to more tertiary institutions as part of effort to increase the quality of education in the state.

He further disclosed that the focus of his government was to massively invest in the education sector aimed at improving the quality of human resources to drive the process of industrialization and agriculture, adding that one of the major focus of this government was to increase the quality of education through knowledge and skills acquisition.

“We have so many unemployed youths across Nigeria, not because they are not educated but because of that gap between acquiring knowledge and acquiring skills,” Obaseki said.

Governor Obaseki also assured people of the state of his readiness to invest in human capital development for effective quality human resources that would guarantee speedy development of the society.

He therefore said that “the Edo Government is willing to bridge this gap and increase the quality of Education in the state.

“We are investing in the Tayo University of Education to make it a reference point for teacher training in the country.

“We will also be investing in technical education, the Benin Technical College will serve as a platform to bridge the gap between manpower and industrialization,” he said.

The Governor said government would continue to encourage the youths to take advantage of the opportunity being provided by the present administration to empower them, assuring them that his electioneering promises of creating 200,000 jobs for the youths of the state was realizable.

He therefore called on youths to acquire knowledge and build positive network so that they could contribute to national development.

He also assured that his administration would look into the issue of bursary and scholarship for students in the state.

He added that those who had been disengaged from collecting taxes or revenue would be considered as government was already working alternative means to engage them meaningfully.

Earlier in his speech, Dr. Kennedy Madugu, lecturer in the Department of Accounting and Accountancy, University of Benin who spoke as the mouthpiece of the youth delegation said the essence of the visit was to congratulate the Governor on his victory at the polls.

He said that they were also to remind the governor of the electoral promises he made to the youth.

According to him, the Governor has begun work; we want to see tangible efforts being made and we are seeing that.

“We are happy that the era where thugs are used to function as youths in the government is over and we want this government to carry Edo youths along in this administration,” Madugu said, adding that the youths of the State were willing to collaborate with government if they were given the opportunity to do so.