DEVELOPMENT’ IS A TEAM SPORTS SAYS GOV. OTTI AT UNIPOD LAUNCHING IN ABIA STATE

DEVELOPMENT’ IS A TEAM SPORTS SAYS GOV. OTTI AT UNIPOD LAUNCHING IN ABIA STATE

David Maduako –Umuahia

The Governor of Abia State Dr. Alex Óttï have described Development’ as a Team Sports that calls for the active support and participation of multilateral partners with access to the global circuit of resources that drive progress .

The governor made this assertion recently at Michael Okpara University of Agriculture Umudike during the launching of Manu_Tech
University Innovation Pod . He said
Beyond finance, economic growth requires an extensive outlay of intellectual and technical capital that are difficult to come by. Therefore, a society still struggling to find its feet on the development track will inevitably need help to move in the right direction. He noted that the place of partnership has become inevitable in development .

He maintained that Abia State, is on a conscious development journey, and have carefully sought out partners that will help the state in her quest to transform the economic and social realities of the people. He express his joy that these efforts are yielding positive results as the day’s event demonstrates this .

Gov Óttï thanked the Vice president of Nigeria Senator Kashim Shettima Mustapha , ably represented by the Honourable Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, and other members of the Federal government team and those from the United Nations led by the United Nations Assistant Secretary _General Ms Ahunna Eziakonwa , including the team from United Nation Development’ Programme UNDP, led by Elsie Attafuah, the governor welcomed them to the
official launch of the Manufacturing Technology (Manu-Tech) University Innovation Pod (UniPod) at the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike.

Gov.Alex Óttï with some of his visitors from FG ,UN ,and UNDP

The governor said UNIPOD is capable of producing in the nearest future about 500,000 Students and Researchers whose intellectual out put would be converted into needed tangible products and services through qualitative research.

Speaking at the event , the Vice President of Nigeria , Senator Shettima represented by the Education Minister Dr.Maruf Tunji Alausa said the launching of UNIPOD shows the importance the federal government attach to Tetiary education as a means of reposition higher education to act as a catalyst for innovative Entrepreneurship, research commercialization and job creation .
He noted that it is a strategic investment in Nigeria’s future .

He observed that University education should transcend from mere traditional teaching and research to becoming a hub for enterprise development, technology transfer and industrial competitiveness .

Speaking , the Assistant Secretary General of United Nation ms Ahunna Eziakonwa commended governor Óttï for his love for education noting that the state have made remarkable progress in the educational sector . She stated that UNIPOD initiative is a practical demonstration that United Nations is committed to touching lives through impactful development programmes .

The Resident Representative in Nigeria Ms Elsie Attafuah described the launching as a part of a broad er national innovation ecosystem being developed accross Nigeria . She said through the UNIPOD initiative . She expects that the program aims to connect education, research, innovation , enterprise and manufacturing enabling universities to be the drivers of economic growth and global competitiveness.

Earlier the Vice Chancellor of Michael Okpara University of Agriculture Umudike Prof Ursula Akanwa thanked all the Participants for coming to MOUAU to do the launching saying that the objectives of UNIPOD initiative is in tandem with that of MOUAU .
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