Enugu Govt awards scholarship to 340 engineering students in IMT

Enugu State Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, on Thursday, announced a full tuition scholarship for 340 students studying engineering in Institute of Management and Technology (IMT), Enugu.

Ugwuanyi, said this while delivering the 4th Distinguished Academic Lecture of IMT at institution’s auditorium in Enugu.

The lecture was titled: “The Place of Good Governance in Achieving Functional Science and Technology Education in Nigeria’’.

The governor said that each of the 17 council areas in the state would have 20 fresh students benefitting from the scholarship opportunity; adding that the scholarship would run for four years.

“This is one way we are translate the need for all to embrace science and technology into action in the state as we have given similar number of scholarship to engineering students in the state-owned polytechnic in Iwollo about two weeks ago,’’ he said.

In the lecture, Ugwuanyi called for concerted efforts to elimination corruption in order to enshrine good governance in the country.

“Corruption, the most detrimental factor thwarting any form of technological and economic growth, must be brought under control if not totally eradicated.

“All cadres of professionals in the country must come together to forge a way forward and force government to make a definite commitment to technology acquisition, development, dissemination and adaptation,’’ he said.

The governor noted that the prevalent thinking that `a knowledge base on technology is only for the bright and brainy is outmoded and must be discouraged’.

“Science and technology must be seen as everybody’s business.

“I urge the private sector to borrow a leaf from the developed countries where there is robust private sector participation in science and technology education,’’ he said.

According to him, previous blunders in policy formulation and implementation (on science and technology) must be corrected.

Earlier, the Chairperson of the Governing Council of the institution, Mrs Ifeoma Nwobodo, thanked the governor for investing in the institution after 36 years of neglect.

Nwobodo applauded the governor for recently approving and releasing N810 million for the up-grade of facilities in the institution; which includes: classrooms, staff offices, medical centre as well as exams and record department building.

“We are also grateful for the timely release of money for the re-accreditation of 18 courses in the institution, training of all staff in computer literacy and up-grading the environment of the institution.

“However, we are appealing to the state government through our amiable governor to provide transmitter for our radio and television studios domicile in the Mass Communication Department,’’ she said.

The Rector of the institution, Prof. Austin Nweze, thanked the governor and his entourage for gracing the occasion and delivering a thoughtful and thought-provoking lecture.

The Chairman of the event and Group Managing Director of Access Bank Plc, Dr Herbert Wigwe, said that the bank would continue to identify with the institution in building a functional education in the country.