JOE EFFIONG, UYO
Akwa Ibom State government has gone into partnership with the University of Lagos (UNILAG) to develop skills among the youths of the state.
To successful implement the partnership, a skill acquisition centre known as the Dakkada Skills Acquisition Centre (DASAC) has been completed and inaugurated at Ikot Ada Idem, in Ibiono Ibom LGA, by the state government.
At the inauguration of the centre on Wednesday, Governor Udom Emmanuel explained that the state government would be running the facility in collaboration with the University of Lagos, which would be overseeing activities and operations of the centre.
Emmanuel said the decision to partner a university within the country instead of some institutions outside the country was to ensure understanding of the state’s environment and socio-cultural structure.
“I want to thank the University of Lagos because when we approached them on this project for their collaboration and partnership, they did not turn us down. Meeting the University of Lagos should assure you that this centre will be one of the best, a centre of excellence.
“It is also a challenge on the University of Lagos because we had the opportunity of collaborating and partnering with other institutions outside Nigeria. We have some in Philippines, some from Pakistan, but I said no, east or west ,that no other institution outside Nigeria would understand our environment, our socio-cultural structure to be able to manage in order to achieve our desired result”, he said.
Emmanuel gave assurance that the institution’s partnership with the state government is continuous even though he would be leaving office.
He listed faculties in the centre to include; faculty of agric-business, faculty of steel and building technology, faculty of mechanical fabrication and automobile engineering, faculty of power and renewable energy, faculty of hospitality and lifestyle management, faculty of information and communication technology, faculty of wood technology, faculty of general studies and skills development, amongst others
In her remarks, the Deputy Vice Chancellor, University of Lagos Prof Ayodele Atsenuwa, thanked Gov Emmanuel for entrusting the responsibility on the University of Lagos, assuring that they would ensure that graduates from the centre become potential employers of labour.
Addressing the gathering, the state Commissioner for Information and Strategy an indigene of the area, Comrade Ini Ememobong applauded Governor Udom Emmanuel’s decision to convert the institution which once served as Government Technical College to a skills acquisition centre.
Ememobong who recalled that the school was abandoned by successive governments said the institution’s transformation to a world class skills acquisition centre would bring about incremental development to the area and state at large
He described the revolutionary achievement as another history making event in the conclusion agenda of the outgoing administration and extended the gratitude of Ibiono Ibom people to Gov. Emmanuel.