Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State has urged the people of the state to continue to offer special prayers for the peace and progress of the state.
Gov. Ugwuanyi said that Enugu still remained one of the safest states in the country notwithstanding some misleading reports in the media by some interested individuals. “This is God’s own state,” he added.
The governor spoke during the inauguration of a privately-owned institution, Shalom Science and Technology Academy (SSTAC), located at Emene Industrial layout, Enugu.
He noted that Science and technology were the key drivers of a nation’s development, saying that “all the advanced economies of the world are powered and sustained by the innovations and revolutions that they continue to bring to that sector.”
Governor Ugwuanyi congratulated the proprietor of the Academy and Director of Shalom Schools Limited, Dr Willy Onu for his remarkable contributions to the development of the state’s educational sector and the nation at large.
He also appreciated the accomplishments of the Shalom Schools Limited in its 22 years of existence, especially in representing the country in the world Biology Olympiads of 2008 and 2009 held respectively in India and Japan.
The governor maintained that “for any nation to attain reasonable success in the pursuit of scientific and technological advancement, it must have a sound and reliable system of science and technology education that would essentially include the establishment of specialized institutions at all levels across the country.”
He therefore pledged to continue to encourage and assist private initiatives and investments in the sector as exemplified by the Academy, to enable the people enjoy easier and wider access to qualitative training in science and technology.
Governor Ugwuanyi added that “this will not only help build a robust science and technology culture but will also provide a sustainable platform for manpower development and enhancement of the employment potentials of our youths.”
According to him, “it is for this reason that in Enugu State, Government has embarked on measures and initiatives designed to reposition science and technology education in our schools while providing necessary support for skills development and acquisition among the youths.”
Earlier in his welcome address, the proprietor of the Academy, Dr. Onu disclosed that the initiative of the school was in line with the recent call by the governor at the Organiru Enugu State Investment Summit for the strengthening of Science and Technology to diversify the state’s economy.
He added that the vision of the institution was to produce manpower that would be exposed to deep and practical knowledge of science and technology, saying that “any nation that will expect respect and recognition in science and technology must discover and develop indigenous technology using scientific concepts”.
