President Muhammadu Buhari says he is ready to hand over Nigeria free of insecurity to the next administration.
Buhari made the promise at the 46th Convocation ceremony of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, at Oduduwa Hall Amphitheatre of the University, on Saturday in Ile-Ife, Osun State.
Represented by Dr Biodun Saliu, the Director, Academic Planning at the National Universities Commission (NUC), Buhari reaffirmed his commitment to the security of lives and property.
“We remain firmly committed to the security of lives, property and investment across the country.
“This administration will continue to confront all forms of banditry, criminality, terorism ad insurgency in the land.
“I promise to hand over a Nigeria that is free of insecurity to the next administration,” the president said.
He also reiterated his commitment to education, saying that his administration had pumped more funds into the nation’s tertiary education more than any previous government.
According to him, the flagstaff of this regime remains the enhancement of higher educational institutions, as they are supportive of the efforts to promote training, research and community services in the universities.
The president said he expected that the nation’s universities should be problem- solvers and impact heavily on the socioeconomic life of the nation.
According to him, more premium has been placed on education and security and I have no intention of lowering the guard.
“In our determined effort to resolve the incessant strikes in our higher institutions of learnings, we have provided a total sum of N470.00 billion in the 2023 budget from our constrained resources, for revitalisation and salary enhancement.
“I want all of us to know and note that government alone cannot provide the resources required for funding tertiary education.
“In fact, in most countries, the cost of education is jointly shared between the government and the people, especially at the tertiary level.
“It is imperative, therefore, that we introduce a highly sustainable model of funding tertiary education.
“This government remains committed to the implementation of agreement reached with staff unions within the available resources, and we are resolute that we will not sign any agreement that we cant truthfully implement.
“Government is equally committed to improving the quality of education at other levels, ” Buhari said.
Earlier, the Etsu Nupe, also the Chancellor of the university, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar, commended the effort of the graduands to succeed through their persistence, resilience and determination, which singled them out for excellence, honour and recognition.
Abubakar advised them to hold their head high as worthy ambassadors and explore the world around them and beyond with natural resources of great wealth, waiting to be tapped.
Also, the university Pro-Chancellor, Owelle Udoji, congratulated the graduands and their relatives on their success academically.
Udoji acknowledged the fatherly roles played by the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, to maintain peace and tranquility between the community and the university.
He urged the graduands to utilise the knowledge gain from the university to make their lives better.
Earlier, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Simeon Bamire, commended the university staff for their unflinching supports for stability and return of normalcy to the institution, in spite of the unresolved issues between them and the government.
Bamire pledged to strengthen student/alumni relations, increase opportunities for internally generated revenue, while removing leakages and wastages.
The vice-chancellor promised to improve the institution’s agricultural production initiatives, prioritise staff welfare through regular promotion with training and retraining programmes for achievement sustainability.
“The university has continued to play a leading role of technology, while the African Centre of Excellence in Software Engineering Project of the school has tremendously advanced the frontiers of technological development in Nigeria and Africa.
“The university is reconstituting the Town and Gown Committee to further strengthen the cordial relationship between the two entities to meet up with the social and communal challenges that may arise,” he said.
Bamire assured them that the graduands have been academically equiped, urging them to utilise their gainful knowledge to provide solution to the nation’s economic challenges and be good ambassadors of the university.
At the event, 130 bagged First Class out of 6,542 graduands.
