By Gbenga Akingbule
Federal Government of Nigeria, through the North East Development Commission (NEDC), on Tuesday pledged continued support to education institutions within the region, Minister of State for Regional Development, Uba Maigari Ahmodu has said.
Gatekeepers News reports that Ahmodu said that education remains one of the top priorities of the NEDC hence educational institutions will continue to receive adequate support to empower students and foster growth in the region.
The Minister of State for Regional Development, Uba Maigari Ahmodu disclosed this while on a three-day visit to inspect projects carried out by the NEDC in Borno State.
Ahmodu explained that the Ministry of Regional Development through the NEDC is deliberate in supporting education across the region noting that residents of the six states of the North East will be better engaged in their classrooms rather than being lured into destructive vices.
According to the Minister, the federal government is taking all necessary steps to fight insurgency in the region, insisting that adequate education of children will go a long in fighting insurgency.
Part of the measures already adopted by the NEDC is the complete sponsorship of over 400 students who are orphaned due to the over 15 years of insurgency at the Command Science Secondary School (Boys) Auno.
The Minister directed with immediate effect that all needs of Command Science Secondary School (Boys) be attended to by the NEDC.
“Education is key to what we’re doing at the Ministry of Regional Development. There’s a nexus between education and security, when you take out the education component, you will easily find the reasons for the insurgency in the first place,” Ahmodu said while addressing students of Command Science Secondary School (Boys) Auno.
The Minister added that concerted efforts must be put in place to “avert occurrences of the insurgency, we need to pay serious attention to education, especially of children in this situation ( orphaned by insurgency).”
The Minister of State who alongside the NEDC MD, Mohammed Alkali visited Borno State University (BOSU) assured that the NEDC will intensify its support to complete the ongoing construction of the Faculty of Engineering, Department of Civil, Electrical and Mechanical Engineering.
“I want to assure you that the Ministry of Regional Development through the NEDC will continue to partner with Universities and other educational institutions like yours to make sure that we put in place structures that will be sustainable and add value to the work you do,” the Minister said.
He however advised the Vice Chancellor of BOSU to seek alternative funding from private donors and organisations to put up more projects in the institution.
