Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City
Former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar (rtd), has commended the Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, on his ‘sterling developmental strides’ in the state, calling on the Edo people to continue to support the governor and his policies.
Abdulsalami disclosed this thursday while addressing journalists after a closed-door meeting with the governor at the Government House in Benin-city, the state capital.
The former Head of State who said he was in the state to attend the 20th anniversary of the Igbinedion University, Okada, urged residents of the state to support the state government in order to sustain its developmental strides by paying their taxes and protecting public facilities against vandalism.
He said: “I served in Benin-city long time ago and I cannot believe the level of the development made so far. I commend the governor for the successes he has achieved. The development I have seen in the city is quite commendable.”
The former army general lauded the governor for his vision and doggedness in improving living standards, noting that “the state government is doing what it can to provide a good life for the people. It is the duty of the citizens to protect these facilities and pay their taxes.”
He expressed satisfaction that the decision taken 20 years ago to grant operational licences to private universities has created opportunities for more graduates to be trained in the country, adding: “When you go down the memory lane, you will see a large number of people who have gone through private universities. It is very fulfilling and that is why I came to celebrate with Igbinedion University.”
Abdusalami urged the Federal Ministry of Education to improve on supervision of curriculum, facilities and ensure adequate monitoring of Nigerian universities in order to secure top spots in world universities’ rankings.
Obaseki, in his remark, described the visit as an honour, and commended the former Head of State for embarking on policies that are still yielding positive results in the country.
He expressed appreciation to the former Nigeria leader for being part of the team that provided the enabling environment for setting up of private universities in the country, which he said enhanced access to quality education to many Nigerians.
