Goodluck Jonathan & Seriake Dickson. |
Former
President of Nigeria, Goodluck Jonathan has saluted the efforts of the Bayelsa
State Governor, Seriake Dickson, in educational development, saying he has
surpassed expectations.
Jonathan,
who gave the commendation at the launch of the Bayelsa Education Development Trust
Fund in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, noted that the governor’s decision to deploy
the tool of education to the development and emancipation of the society was
the right way to go, and that the initiative and landmark achievements of the
governor would outlive him. Jonathan, who said the efforts of the present
administration was in line with his educational policy to wrest the Bayelsan
child from the claws of illiteracy when he was governor in 2006, noted that the
Education Development Trust would drastically change the story of Bayelsa.
Speaking,
Governor Seriake Dickson said his administration viewed investment in the
education sector not as a burden but as a responsibility because of its
far-reaching impact on society. While recounting some of his achievements in
the sector, he called on the private sector to support the trust fund,
stressing that education must be seen as a collective responsibility of all.
Dickson, who stressed that lack of education was at the root of instability,
militancy and insurgency urged multinational oil companies to emulate the
Nigerian Army by adopting secondary schools already built by the state
government.
He
said that they have committed N80 billion to the development of educational
infrastructure aside from salaries, in pursuit of the vision to create access
to education in the state.
According
to him, the state has 13 functional model secondary schools with about 10, 000
Bayelsans enjoying free education.In his remarks, Chairman of the occasion,
John Pepper Clark praised Dickson for charting a new course in the development
of human capital in Bayelsa and Ijaw nation as a whole. Benedict Peters, Vice
Chairman, Aiteo E&P, said the company is pleased to associate with the
Fund’s lofty vision of becoming a world class educational intervention agency
driven by stakeholder participation and contribution for sustainable and
enhanced standard of education, employing best practice. Represented by Victor
Okoronkwo, the company Managing Director, he said they have followed the progress
of the Trust Fund from inception.
Aired
who donated N500 million to the fund, praised the Professor Turner Isoun led
board who raised N800million in their first ten months of operation to empower
indigent children with access to free and qualitative education.
In
his welcome address, Chairman of the Fund, Prof. Turner Isoun, assured donors
of the judicious use of the funds as the books of the board are open to
external auditing.
CULLED
FROM THE GUARDIAN.
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