Enugu Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, yesterday, performed the ground-breaking for the administrative building of the first university of education in the South East, the Enugu State University of Education in Ihe, Awgu Local Government Area amid jubilation.
The university, which would be a degree-awarding institution in the area of education, will serve as a training ground for teachers of primary, secondary and tertiary education.
The establishment of the new institution was recently approved by Governor Ugwuanyi’s administration, and the contract for the construction of the administrative building was awarded last week by the State Executive Council.
Performing the ceremony, Ugwuanyi, who expressed delight and fulfilment, stated that the quest for the establishment of the university was in consonance with his administration’s commitment to providing and promoting better access to higher education as a way of stimulating knowledge, productivity and industry among the teeming population of youths in Enugu State.
The governor recalled that his administration had earlier announced the release of N200 million for the commencement of preliminary construction works on the site, stressing that the proposed university will help to bring about a significant and positive transformation of the socio-economic fortunes of the entire Awgu Local Government Area and environs.
“Apart from graduating its own students, it is expected that the proposed university will also provide channels for students of other colleges of education in and around the state, especially, the Enugu State College of Education (Technical), to obtain degrees in their chosen areas of study.”
Ugwuanyi explained that “the prompt construction of an administrative building is therefore expected to stimulate the rapid development of the institution and prepare it for full commencement of academic activities in no distant time.”
The governor, who reiterated his pledge to continue to serve Enugu State with the fear of God disclosed his administration’s plan to revitalise the Awgu Games Village.