Udom's Human Capital Development record, unbeatable, says Akpabio

.. As 100 A'Ibom Students arrive Onitsha on scholarship

Classes have began for hundred indigenes of Akwa Ibom State who departed the State recently to Metallurgical Training Institute, Onitsha.

The students who are on scholarship for two to three years courtesy of Governor Udom Emmanuel arrived the school, concluded screening and have began lectures in their engineering specialty.

Shortly before their departure to Onitsha, the students gathered at the Ministry of Trade and Investment at the instance of Governor Udom Emmanuel to pray for journey mercies and smooth stay in school.

Governor Udom Emmanuel, represented by the Honourable Commissioner for Trade and Investment, Prince Ukpong Akpabio admonished the students to be ambassadors of Akwa Ibom State and shun vices that will discourage the state government from sponsoring their education.

He noted that on the school's visiting days, the State Government will visit the students but students should reach out to the government if they encounter challenges before the visit.

In their goodwill messages, parents and beneficiaries expressed gratitude to Governor Udom Emmanuel for making conscious effort to flatten the curve of unemployment and curb youth restivenesss through human capacity development.

The student who were beaming with smiles thanked the Governor for their fully paid scholarship which covers tuition, feeding, school dues, learning materials, tool boxes and other logistics.

They promised to make Governor Udom Emmanuel, the State and their parents proud with their results.

While fielding questions from the press shortly after the departure of the students, Akpabio explained that Governor Emmanuel is also training youths of Akwa Ibom State through the Ibom 3000 project. He said the Governor's human capacity development track record is unbeatable.

"The students will be trained on everything that has to do with mechanical, civil and electrical engineering. Lectures in the institute are seventy percent practical and thirty percent theory. Some of them will spend two years while some will spend three years depending on their area of study.

On employment, the Commissioner noted that "His Excellency's vision is to ensure that everybody working in our industries are from Akwa Ibom State.

While we already have youths employed in these industries, the State Government is looking forward to the hundred youths sent for training today to come back equipped to service and maintain the plants we have in various industries in the state. We won't need to travel outside to bring in people to service those plants".

On passion and selection process, he furthered "What we did was to ensure that the students picked their area of interest by themselves. In fact, we took them to the school in December for their entrance examination and they passed in those areas. We did not take any recommendations from anybody, breed political party or ethnic group sentiment. All Local Government Areas are represented in this training. These students have passion for what they're going to study and we know that Akwa Ibom people are intelligent. They will make us proud with flying colours".

Also bidding the students farewell were the Permanent Secretary, Mr. Oliver Udokpo and Directors of the Ministry of Trade and Investment.