The Special Assistant to Ebonyi State Governor on Documentation, Mr. Boniface Nwankwo, has urged governments at all levels to prioritise education in their budgeting and governance, describing it as a critical tool for addressing insecurity in the country.
Nwankwo made the call at Evara, headquarters of Ezza North Development Centre, during the disbursement of bursaries to Nigerian Law School students and the empowerment of community members by the Coordinator of the Development Centre, Mr. Samuel Igboke.
He commended Igboke for supporting law graduates pursuing professional legal training, stressing that investment in education would help build a more secure and productive society.
"When the youths are adequately empowered with quality education, they become meaningful and useful to the society," he said.
Nwankwo praised the coordinator for what he described as translating Governor Francis Nwifuru's People's Charter of Needs into practical grassroots interventions.
Speaking at the event, Igboke said the empowerment programme formed part of efforts to deepen grassroots development and complement the development agenda of Governor Nwifuru.
He thanked the governor for the opportunity to serve the people and pledged to sustain projects aimed at improving the welfare of residents of the development centre.
According to him, the motorcycles distributed to members of the Management Committee were in recognition of their commitment and support for his administration while those presented to Chief Security Officers (CSOs) were intended to strengthen community policing and enhance security across the five communities in the development centre.
He added that the bursary awards were designed to ease the financial burden on law graduates undergoing training at the Nigerian Law School.
Igboke also highlighted projects executed by his administration, including the donation of transformers to improve electricity supply, bursary awards for undergraduate students, road grading, construction of bridges and culverts, sinking of boreholes and assistance to vulnerable residents.
He assured the people that his administration would continue to implement projects that would drive development and improve living standards across the development centre.
Stakeholders, including Geoffrey Ozor Chukwu (GOC), Prof. Humphrey Nwobashi, Joseph Enyiukpor, Dr. Jeff Ogbu, Emeka Nwonu and Polycarp Alegu, attended the event and commended the coordinator for the initiative.
They described the empowerment programme as a reflection of Governor Nwifuru's commitment to grassroots development.
One of the beneficiaries, Mr. Okechukwu Ogbu, expressed appreciation to the governor for appointing Igboke as coordinator and thanked the administration for the empowerment initiative.
He pledged that beneficiaries would make judicious use of the motorcycles and bursary awards for the benefit of the communities.
The empowerment programme coincided with the accountability tour of Ezza North Development Centre by the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, Hon. Uchenna Igwe, who inspected ongoing projects in the area.
A total of 15 motorcycles were distributed to eight members of the Management Committee, two selected aides and five Chief Security Officers, while law graduates from Ezza North admitted into the Nigerian Law School received bursaries of ₦300,000 each to support the completion of their legal education.
