Kogi spends N20bn on new varsity in 2 years — Commissioner

The Commissioner for Education in Kogi, Mr. Wemi Jones, has said that the state government has so far allocated over N20 billion to the state university, Kabba, since its establishment two years ago.

Jones disclosed this in a keynote address at the “Prof. Matthew Ajibero Memorial Lecture," organised by the Nigerian-Korea Friendship Institute of Vocational and Advanced Technology (NKFI), Lokoja.

He said that N6 billion was spent on the Administrative Block, lecture theatres, and classroom blocks, while N8 billion was allocated to the Senate Building, Faculty of Science, and male and female hostels, among others.

He said that the university had brought unprecedented development to its host community, Gbeleko, in view of the massive injection of funds for the development of the institution.

“The university has brought viable commercial activities to Gbeleko, which happens to be late Prof. Ajibero’s community.

“I know Ajibero himself would be grateful to the state government for what has been done for his community with the establishment of the Kogi State University, Kabba,” Jones said.

The commissioner affirmed the state government’s total commitment to the development of technical education, having realised its enormous potential for the state.

The memorial lecture, with the theme "The Capacity of Entrepreneurship and Vocational Education," was delivered by Prof. Lamidi Kehinde.

In a remark, former Gov. Idris Wada said the establishment of the NKFI was informed by the need for vocational skills to empower the youth in the state.

Wada expressed satisfaction with the recent development in the institute and commended the present and immediate past administrations for placing priority on education.

In separate remarks, famous scholar, Prof. Olugbemiro Jegede, and former Secretary to the State Government, Chief Sylvester Onoja, both called for more funding for the institute.

According to them, vocational and technical education remains the way to go in achieving the nation’s technological advancement.

Earlier, the NKFI Rector, Dr. Williams Charles, expressed gratitude to the administration of Gov. Ahmed Ododo for effectively funding the institute.

The guest lecturer, Prof. Lamidi Kehinde, urged the state government to muster the political will and increase the funding for vocational education, which, he said, remains the future of the country.

“The era of white collar jobs is long gone; vocational training is the future, which every youth should embrace,” Kehinde said.

He unveiled a Strategic Action Plan for the newly established university during the lecture.

Supreme News reports that Ajibero was a former rector of Kogi State Polytechnic, Lokoja.

The Kogi Polytechnic Management immortalised him in October by naming the institution’s library after him.