Lucky Obukohwo, Reporting
The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) and the National Union of Bayelsa State Students (NUBSS), have endorsed the Bayelsa State governor, Douye Diri and his deputy, Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, for their second term bid, stating huge investments in education.
They gave the endorsement at the first-ever students summit in the state organised by the Bayelsa State Students Management Committee.
Speaking at the event, NANS Zone B Coordinator, Kings Tamarautuapreye, commended the governor for sustaining the Higher Education Students Loans Scheme, which has assisted many indigent students to continue their studies.
He said the students were happy with the governor’s administration and their endorsement was easy because of his achievements and fatherly disposition.
Speaking on behalf of the students, President of the NUBSS Worldwide, Dennis Ebobra, said the endorsement was as a result of the governor’s developmental projects not only in the education sector but in virtually all sectors.
He said their support was to reciprocate the huge investment of the Diri administration in education and that they will ensure the governor returns to office to continue with his good policies for the sector and the state.
President of the Niger Delta University Students Union Government, Precious Apiri, equally thanked the governor for the infrastructural development in the state’s pioneer university, especially the construction of a convocation arena that he recently approved for the institution.
Governor Diri described the theme of the programme: “Transcend: Upscaling Bayelsa State Students on Entrepreneurship and Self-Development” as apt, saying it was in line with his administration’s policy on entrepreneurial development.
The governor noted that the objective of his administration was to stimulate entrepreneurship by equipping the youths with skills that would make them self-employed and employers of labour.
He said his administration would initiate a floating fund that would enable young Bayelsans engage in businesses after graduating from the tertiary institution.
According to him, the aim is to move Bayelsa from a consumer to a production state.
He said the administration had backed words with action by encouraging four small-scale entrepreneurs with the sum of N200,000 each monthly in the 105 wards across the state.
Vice Chancellor of the Niger Delta University, Prof. Allen Agih, expressed gratitude to the state government for organising the programme.
He described the African continent as the wealth of the world but expressed regrets that the people lacked the requisite entrepreneurial skills to harness the vast mineral resources that the continent was endowed with.
His Bayelsa Medical University counterpart, Prof. Ebitimitula Etebu, said Bayelsa youths were endowed with great potential and lauded the Prosperity Government for putting up the programme to unlock such potential.
Prof. Etebu urged the youths to be committed and confident in whatever skill they have chosen for themselves.
The aim of the summit is to equip students with entrepreneurial skills.