The deputy governor of Akwa Ibom State, Mr Nsima Ekere, has described education as catalyst for development.
Mr Ekere, who spoke while representing Governor Godswill Akpabio at the foundation stone-laying ceremony of the West African University of Science and Technology, at Ita Uruan, on Wednesday, said education determined, to a large extent, one’s attainment in life and health and even had implications on the people’s security and economy.

He said it was in realisation of the cardinal role of education that the Akpabio-led administration declared free and compulsory education up to secondary school level, which tripled school enrolment in the state within two years of the implementation of the programme.

The deputy governor expressed delight that the proposed university keyed into the education policy of the administration and predicted that the university, as conceived and planned, would turn out to be one of the best in the country.

The chairman of the Board of Trustees of the university, Professor Bassey Ndon, said the university was aimed at promoting educational development of the West African sub-region and Africa as a whole, through human capacity building, qualitative education, research and improvement of systems.

http://tribune.com.ng/index.php/news/38487-education-catalyst-for-development-aibom-dep-gov