The Ibom Pulpit

The Akwa Ibom State Governor Chief Godswill Akpabio has received commendations from Nobel Laureate Prof. Wole Soyinka, for his efforts in human capacity development in his state.

Prof. Soyinka, who was the Chairman of a discussion session at the second day of the South South economic summit in Asaba, specifically mentioned Governor Akpabio’s target training of Akwa Ibom youths in specialized field of aviation as well as his free education to all youths in the state, and said that education models must be developed by governments at all levels.

Governor Akpabio at the summit had earlier told participants of his administration’s investments in free and compulsory education for all Nigerians residing in Akwa Ibom State from primary to senior secondary school, with an attendant revamping of education infrastructure in the state.

Akpabio maintained that this gesture was to build the capacity of the youths to meet the manpower challenges of not only the emerging industrial economy of the state, but the highly competitive labour market inNigeria. He said his educational scheme was devoid of any hidden charges as his government pays subventions to school heads in the state and has made a law, the child rights law, that among other things prohibits children of school age from being detained at home during school hours.

Asides from this, Akpabio said he has sponsored several youths abroad to on specialized training in aviation in view of the huge investmentshis government has made in the aviation industry.

Governor Akpabio, making comments as chairman of a session on security and national development on Day Two of the event, advocated a review of the revenue sharing formular and unbundling of the responsibilities of the federal government to enable states and local governments have more funds to handle critical areas of development.