The Executive governor of Akwa Ibom State, His Excellecncy, Pastor Umo Eno, Ph.D has said that his recognition of the power of education made him keep faith with the free and compulsory education policy of the state which he inherited from his predecessors.
Governor Eno who disclosed this today, Saturday in Uyo, the state capital during the combined 29th and 30th Convocation ceremony of the University of Uyo, added that it’s the belief that took him thus far.
The governor who bagged his Ph.D degree from the institution was amongst those who convoked during the ceremony.
Speaking at the event, Dr. Umo Eno said “Because I recognize the power of education, which is the reason I am where I am today , we have kept faith with the free and compulsory education in our State, with bursary increased from 10 to 20 thousand for students studying general courses and from 10-30 thousand naira for those studying professional courses such as law, engineering, medicine, agriculture, Information Technology etc.
“We are also paying 250 thousands to undergraduate students living with disabilities and 300 thousand for those studying professional courses. This is drawn from the 100 million educational grant for people living with disabilities we have instituted. We are building world -class model primary schools because the foundation for academic excellence starts from the primary school level.”
Pastor Umo Eno who became governor in 2023 succeeded Mr. Udom Emmanuel who was elected in 2015 and got reelected in 2019.
The former Niger Delta Minister and current Senate President, His Excellecncy, Distinguished Senator Godswill Akpabio was governor between 2007 and 2015, while Arch (Obong) Victor Attah was governor from 1999 till 2007 during which the Free Education policy was introduced in the state.