Bayelsa state Governor, Henry Seriake Dickson has expressed satisfaction with the progress made so far at the Ijaw National Academy.
The revelation came barely 24 hours to the august visit of a former Head of State, Gen Yakubu Gowon (retd) and Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka for the commissioning of two of flagship projects in the state.
Dickson, who visited the Academy at Kaiama in Kolokuma/Opokuma LGA, described the institution as a flagship centre of learning to nurture future leaders of the state and the Ijaw nation.
According to him, it will be a failure on the part of the government to pay lip service to education, as the children will be taking over the mantle of leadership from the present generation of leaders about 30 years from now.
He said, as part of the planned 3-day visit of some notable personalities to the state, Prof. Wole Soyinka and others would hold interactive sessions with the students, to inspire them to greater academic excellence and impart leadership skills.
Governor Dickson, who also visited St. Jude’s Model Girls secondary School, Amarata, made a cash donation of N1 million to the Basketball Team of the school and promised to provide more sporting facilities.
While expressing appreciation to the principals and staff of both schools, the Governor restated the government’s commitment to the implementation of the policies and the programmes in the education sector.
In their separate remarks, the Principal of Ijaw National Academy, Charles Hugh and his St. Jude’s counterpart, Mrs. Celia Apreala, commended the state Governor for his passion and dedication towards revamping the educational system in the state.
Hugh urged the students to reciprocate the huge investments in their future by studying hard and charged them to be of good conduct at all times.
Speaking on behalf of the students, Master Justice Benstowe, a Library Prefect of the Ijaw National Academy, thanked the government for its show of concern about the affairs of the school and pledged to make the best out the state government’s scholarship programme.
The State Deputy Governor, Rear Admiral Gboribiogha John Jonah (Rtd), Secretary to State Government, Chief Serena Dokubo-Spiff, Commissioner for Education, Elder Markson Fefegha and his Information counterpart, Hon. Jonathan Obuebite were among other government officials that accompanied the Governor on the visit.