Governor Udom Emmanuel has left no one in doubt about his vision to revive technical education through quality skills and capacity development to afford sufficient manpower resources for his industrial revolution.

Governor Emmanuel has embarked on a massive revamping, remodeling, upgrade, re-equipping and transformation of the hitherto moribund technical college, Ikot Ada Idem in Ibiono Ibom local government area, replacing it with the proposed Dakkada Skills Acquisition Centre. This is to fulfill in part,
his Dakkada Gospel,of providing enablers for young people to rise to the faith of their greatness.

Beyond giving the school a new outlook, the project offers direct job opportunities in the construction process, to members of the host communities with a direct labour model.

The gate of the institution is coming out with a touch of class, invitingly attempting an insight to the bountiful opportunities that can be harvested inside the campus. A walk into the premises introduces a medical facility that is bound to provide health care services to both inmates of the facility and members of the neighbouring communities.

Renovations of existing blocks, erecting of new ones, landscaping, internal roads construction as well as effective drainage systems are some of the sites beholding anyone who trips into the facility. And with the project consultant, Churchill Udoh and his Manager Steve Ubiam, there is no dull moment as the attempt to unveil the vision of the Governor in the one stop technology and skills transfer facility.

According to the project consultant, Mr Churchill Udoh, the school will admit people that are talented and seek decent means of livelihood whether certificated prior to entry or not, and is starting off with five faculties, the General Studies will deal with humanities, the Basic English and Mathematics, Sciences, Moral and Citizenship or Civic Responsibilities.

A tour around the project with my colleagues, Aniekeme Finbarr, Uwemedimoh Umanah and Solomon Eyo, shows remodeled facilities of world-class standards with several new ones springing up. The 400 bed space hostels are taking shape. The school is being 100 percent fenced round so the environment is totally secured, with electronic wiring for 24 hours surveillance, proposed.

There is the Poultry Farm and livestock structures, all newly constructed. The beautiful thing about the institution is that, an intake from day one becomes an entrepreneur that will be trained in leadership and entrepreneurship principles, and with self-directory in terms of discipline to own whatever aspects of skills in terms of achievement once he comes into the school.

The institution also is to have bakery, and other catering services, engineering, woodwork, agricultural production among other services, that will crash the cost of such services in the state, since most of the raw materials shall be produced within the campus.

On commissioning from Day One, Dakkada Skills Acquisition Centre will offer the promise of Food Security and Technical Education, and will also rescue the jobs in the Civil Construction, electrical and mechanical engineering areas. Dakkada Skills Acquisition Centre (DASAC) has come to ensure that the presence of the state in these sectors are restored.

© Essien Ndueso is Media Aide to the Governor of Akwa Ibom State.

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