PROTOCOL
I am extremely delighted to join this maiden students Townhall Meeting
with Government Representatives today as the special Guest of Honour.I am always at home, just as my mind is always at rest each time appear before the greatest Nigerian students, the very ones who are known and appreciated for their positive roles in community development and career building the very ones who shall provide the best of human materials required to pusH the frontiers of our
Industrialization agenda, and those who will also provide the social,
economic and political leadership needed to cushion the etftcts of
globalization in our society. It is on that note that I wholeheartedly
welcome all Nigerian students, their leaders and delegates to this
Townhall Meeting, which itself is a novel and true testimony of our
sensitivity to your interest and aspirations on behalf of the Governmentand good people of Akwa Ibom State.
equally welcome other specially invited Guests, the Rector,
Management and staff of the Akwa Ibom State polytechnic, other development partners and the media to this interface of sorts, the first ever in this part of the world, and one which shall consolidate on the gains of the mutual relationship between my administration and the organized students'movement in the State and beyond acknowledged the Management of this Institution for maintaining peaceand high academic standards as the hallmark of excellence, I strongly commend my Special Assistant on Student Affairs, Comrade Otobong Akpan for not just working out the realization of this Meeting, but for
her tireless initiatives that has committed the students community to the forefront of our decision making efforts and policy formulation on one hand, and the passion that has earned our Government the respect and total support of the students on the other hand, I am glad that
Meeting has afforded students the opportunity to interact with us as a
government on virtually all issues of concern to their overall wellbeing
and the general progress of the education sector in our dear State.
I understand that this meeting is also coinciding with the inauguration of Students Social Services Volunteer Scheme in this campus, the Voluntary Initiative through which students are being mobilized, trained and organized to put forward their skills, energies and passions in bridging development gaps that are existing in our societies through community services, social mobilization, civic engagement, mentorship and career coaching, environmental sustenance and other activities. We are glad that the scheme has since its Flagg off in 2016assisted in enhancing the participants baseline knowledge and information of existing jobs,
learning internships and other opportunities which has enlarged their scopes, improved the quality of their skills and rei nforce them to exercise choices, set and achieve independent career objectives, sharevresponsibility for community development and engage socially and meaningfully as citizens, while pledging the continuous support and partnership of Akwa Ibom State Government, I urge all well meaning individuals and public spirited corporate organizations to key in and support the Scheme to achieve its objectives, as we race towards the Sustainable Development Goals.
As a Government founded on the firm principles of accountability,
transparency and economic revival, we shall continue to invest massively in the education sector, even in the face of dwindling revenue receipts.
We shall continue to prioritize the issues of welfare and their quality of education. This is based on our cardinal appreciation of the potency of an educated populace as a sin qua non for the sustainability of our
globally rated Industrialization efrorts.
We desire our people to acquire the manpower requirements and emerging skills to man the many Industries and other Macro-Economic Ventures we are building in the State. So far, we have changed the face of infrastructure across Schools education Policy, we have trained and retrained the personnel manning the education sector, we have implemented a special welfare intervention package for students, arrangement to pay bursary and scholarships are at an advanced stage, we have paid WAEC fees for both indigenes and non indigenes, All these and many more can only underscore our love and concern for the education of our children.
But, I can assure you we are going to do more ; we are going to step up our already high level engagements with the Nigerian students. You cantrust that my administration shall not abandon the students, just like we started, we shall achieve our goals together, we shall move on together
as partners in progress. Now, you must also be reminded that to whom much is given, much is also expected. As we continuously strive to advance your welfare, we
expect you as students to abhor all negative tendencies. We charge you to shun cultism, evil machinations, escalation of violent crimes, examination malpractice and drug abuse. They won't take you far and will crush your dreams and vision of better life ahead. Your expectations and that of your parents, friends and loved ones will never see the light of the way, and your life will become miserable as you may end up in jail.
As students, I want to admonish you to lead a life of righteousness, discipline and honor. Rather than follow your friends to spoil the good manners you learnt at and brought to school from home, you should
become a peer educator, a shining light for your colleagues and true ambassadors of Jesus Christ whose greatest feat of influence in our world today was recorded during his youthful days. I want students from Akwa Ibom to stand out even globally, hence we would never be tired of preparing an economically secured and prosperous future for all of you
and the generation yet unborn.
Let me also formally acknowledge the total support and unconditional
loyalty of students to my administration, and admit that nowhere in the history of this country has a Governor enjoyed the quantum of support you have given to me. To me I have a social pact with the people of Akwa Ibom State, a simple yet herculean task of rearranging the economic order of doing things, such that we can diversify the economic base of the State for the purposes of sustainable job creation and
meaningful employments generation.
I am glad that at the end, it is the students that will be the highest beneficiaries of that epoch. You are the ones that shall occupy all the direct and indirect manpower needs of the Deep Seaport, Armored Personnel Carrier/other Security Vehicles
Assembly Plant, The LED Factory, Liberty Free Trade Zone, Coconut Refinery, Cocoa Revolution Plantations and other Cottage Industries incubated under the AKEES Program, especially the pencil, toothpick Factory that has already taken off effectively. So continue to stand by
me, don't shiver your support for my administration, as we have the
ample expertise, clearer vision, passion, commitment, discipline and the responsibility to make our State greater and high ranking in the comity of States. Government will continue to be inspired and motivated by your peaceful disposition, matured conduct and positive students
unionism.
Once again let me commend the Student Affairs Unit of my Office, and the Special Assistant, Comrade Otobong Akpan for the smooth coordination and proper mobilization of students for social inclusion, the very virtues that has led to the hosting of this maiden Town hall Meeting with students. Indeed, it has been a fruitful and rewarding engagement
of all parties.
We have interacted and have shared notes. The cooperation of the security agencies have been highlighted, whereas our modest efforts and overwhelming interventions have been communicated and acknowledged by the students themselves. Together, we have reviewed our plans and actions for year 2017 and shall work together to sustain the gains of this interaction and make sure it rotates to other tertiary institutions in the State, so we can boost the momentum of our first hand campus appraisals and feedback system. We have taken serious notes of the concerns and demands of the students, and as a Government shall endeavor to dutifully address them in a responsible we have all
agreed on the need to regularize the hosting of this meeting.
I thank the Management of this institution for their warm hospitality and the goodwill that has granted us the facility to hold a successful meeting.
I thank other Guests who have found time out of their
schedules to honor us with their esteemed presence and contributions. I Pray the Almighty to richly reward all of you according to his riches in glory.
Thank You and God bless you all.
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