By Nsan Ndoma-Neji, Calabar
The Cross River State Commissioner for Education, Senator Stephen Adi Odey, has said that the state Ministry of Education would do everything within it’s reach to ensure that it put it’s weight solidly behind the National Executive Council of the University of Cross State, UNICROSS, Alumni Association.
Odey made the remarks while playing host to a delegation of the UNICROSS Alumni Association on Friday his office in Calabar, stressing that the courtesy visit by the alumni association was timely as the dtate is already on a course to reform the educational sector.
The commissioner stressed that as an advocate for quality education, he was excited to see a delegation of egg heads, who he is convinced are committed individuals, who are passionate to give back to the society through the alumni association.
Describing education as a powerful tool for societal development, Odey stressed that it was the reason why he channeled so much energy into the development of the sector when he served the state as the chairman of the state Universal Basic Education Board, SUBEB, in the previous administration.
On the issue of subvention to the UNICROSS, the commissioner said, “I believe that by the time we put our heads together, the education sector would be upgraded, with University of Cross River as the Center of Intervention.
“My first assignment as commissioner was an appeal to Governor Bassey Edet Otu to increase UNICROSS subvention.”
The commissioner stated that plans has reached advanced stage for him to liaise with his counterpart in the state Ministry of Local Government Affairs to address the alumni’s request to increase the local government contribution to the university from one to three per cent.
He said that he was doing everything humanly possible to liaise with the Commissioner for Lands to tackle the encroachment into the institution’s land by interlopers, stressing that with the law, those promoting the ugly trend would subued.
Odey stated that the ministry will soon play host to an education summit to give opportunity to stakeholders in the sector to meet and brainstorm on issues that would bring development to the sector.
In his earlier remarks, the alumni National President, Comrade Eyam Abeng, hailed Senator Odey for granting them the audience, stressing that the purpose of the courtesy visit is to seek government’s support and intervention on issues bothering their former institution.
Abeng pleaded for upward review of government subvention to the university, given the fact that the school would have to go through serious challenge after receiving approval by the National University Commission, NUC, to run additional 17 courses.
Abeng appealed for a 3 per cent increase from the 1 per cent donated by the local government areas of the state to the university.
He advocated for the use of local content by considering UNICROSS alumni in the execution of projects in the state.
