The Cross River State Government has appealed to the management of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) to provide special support to the state in providing infrastructure for the newly established University of Education and Entrepreneurship, owned by the state.
The state governor, Senator Bassey Otu, who made the appeal during a recent visit to TETFund headquarters in Abuja, particularly solicited support from the intervention agency to build an edifice to house all practical skills for the university.
Otu emphasised the importance of human capital development in confronting the challenges of underdevelopment, poverty, and unemployment.
The governor, who also commended the Fund, under the leadership of Mr. Sonny Echono, for the visible infrastructural development in the country, noted that the state requires support for its newly converted College of Education to a University of Education and Entrepreneurship where craftsmen, bricklayers, welders, and others will be trained.
He said: “Let me, on the same note, start by commending you highly, because what you’re doing in terms of infrastructure in our tertiary institutions is very visible, particularly under the leadership of the present executive secretary. We’ve seen and noticed a lot of changes.
“It is not very easy to put in this number of years in the service without blemish.
“We are here to put it on record that you’ve been doing well, and we do need your help and support.
“In my days in school, we had many international students in Nigeria”.
In June, the state government announced the plan to establish the university, which it said would take over the current facilities of the State College of Education, Awi, Akamkpa Local Government Area.
The establishment of the academic institution was among 15 proposals approved by the State Executive Council on 7 June.
According to the Commissioner for Information, Mr. Erasmus Ekpang, the council also approved a proposal seeking a strategic collaboration in between universities, and Ministries, Departments and Agencies in the state to foster local fabrication of basic necessities in agriculture, education materials, healthcare, water and sanitation.
