By Ogenyi Ogenyi, Uyo
Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom has inaugurated the Multi Billion Naira Dakkada Skills Acquisition Centre (DASAC) in Ikot Ada Idem, Ibiono Local Council as part of his parting gifts.
Commissioning the center yesterday, Emmanuel said the state government would be running the center in collaboration with the University of Lagos, responsible for overseeing activities and operations of the center.
Emmanuel said the decision to partner a university within the country instead of some institutions outside the country because they have an understanding of the state’s environment and socio-cultural structure.
” I want to thank the University of Lagos because when we approached them on this project for their collaboration and partnership, they did not turn us down. Meeting the University of Lagos should assure you that this centre will be one of the best, a centre of excellence.
“It is also a challenge on the University of Lagos because we had the opportunity of collaborating and partnering with other institutions outside Nigeria. We have some in Philippines, some from Pakistan, but I said no, east or west ,that no other institution outside Nigeria would understand our environment, our socio-cultural structure to be able to manage in order to achieve our desired result.” The Governor said.
He assured the institution’s partners of state government continuous support, even though he would be leaving office.
He listed faculties in the center to include; Faculty of Agric- Business, Faculty of steel and building technology, Faculty of Mechanical fabrication and automobile engineering, Faculty of power and renewable energy, Faculty of Hospitality and lifestyle Management, Faculty of Information and Communication technology, Faculty of wood technology, Faculty of General studies and Skills Development amongst others.
In her remarks, the Deputy Vice Chancellor,University of Lagos Prof Ayodele Atsenuwa thanked Governor Udom Emmanuel for entrusting the responsibility on the University of Lagos assuring that they will ensure that graduates from the centre become potential employers of labour.
Addressing the gathering, the state Commissioner for Information and Strategy an indigene of the area, Comrade Ini Ememobong applauded the Governor’s decision to convert the institution which once served as Government Technical College to a skills acquisition center.
Ememobong who recalled that the school was abandoned by successive governments said the institution’s transformation to a world class skills acquisition center would bring about incremental development to the area and state at large.
