By Owen Akenzua, Asaba
Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta has said that each year from now, the best 50 graduating studesnts in skills acquisition and entrepreneurship programmes would be empowered to set up their businesses.
Making the announcement during an on-the-spot inspection of facilities at the Delta state Polytechnic, Ogwashi-Uku, the governor advised that skills acquisition and entrepreneurship development courses should be made compulsory for all students in institutions of higher learning in the country.
“I have encouraged all higher institutions in the country to ensure that no student leaves the without requisite training in entrepreneurship development.
“If we strengthen skillS acquisition and entrepreneurship development, we will have creators of jobs, creators of wealth as graduates in the new Nigeria.
“A new narrative can come out from Delta State Polytechnic, Ogwashi-Uku by utilizing the knowledge acquired with hands and brains, which is very important for you to succeed in modern Nigeria.
“The best skilled students will be empowered by the state government to be able to start on their own and I want to state it here that the best 50 students that will be taken from different departments, will be equipped to start their own businesses.
“The empowerment is to fully provide the basic needs and we hope that they will be role models; we want to also challenge ourselves in this Polytechnic to provide instruments and equipment that will be used locally to better the lives of our people,” he said.
Okowa emphasized that the graduates should be proud of their alma mater and the institution in the next four years should be proud of their graduates.
He urged students of the institutions to desist from joining any form of secret cult but work towards building a better future for themselves.
“If you are thinking right and working very hard, you will be what you want to be; think about your future – ten years, five years from now, what will you be? he said.
The Chairman of the Governing Council and the Rector of the polytechnic, Dr Festus Okubor and Prof. Stella Chiemeke respectively, in their separate addresses commended Okowa for his commitment to the development of institutions of higher learning in the state.
