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Ondo State Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN, has reiterated his administration’s robust commitment to improving the quality of education in the State.
The Governor who noted that despite the prevailing global and national economic challenges, his administration is resolute in its all-out efforts to take education to its possible height in the Sunshine State.
He spoke on Tuesday at the the 2nd Emeritus Prof. Oladipo Akinkugbe Distinguished Lecture At the University of Medical Sciences, Ondo.
The Governor was represented by the Commissioner for Infrastructure, Lands and Housing, Engr. Raimi Aminu
Governor Akeredolu, who stressed the importance of education and health in a sustainable society, noted that the Ondo State Government, at no time played down on the education and health sectors in the state.
He added that both are critical indicators of human development and essential drivers of economic growth and prosperity.
He said,“Notwithstanding the prevailing global and national economic challenges and competing demands for resources in our State, we remain committed to the emergence and sustenance of a health system that can protect human life, deliver everyday health benefits and produce good health outcomes irrespective of prevailing challenges”
“Our administration is also deeply committed to the issue of quality education. UNIMED has a key focus in our educational and health agenda and we are proud of its strides”
“Our University of Medical Sciences aims to be the “benchmark in health education” while touching the lives of our citizens and making an impact globally and in tangible ways”
“It is, therefore, appropriate that UNIMED is in the vanguard of health education improvement in Nigeria with the continuous improvement of oversight processes, the training environment, research, public reporting, and leadership in the field.”
Governor Akeredolu described Prof. Akinkugbe as a cerebral administrator, manager and scholar who help shaped the philosophy of the institution as Chairman of the Council.
“Akinkugbe was a perfect fit for the role and the quality of the foundation laid in identifying and attracting some of the best talents to the UNIMED is self-evident. It is my hope that this tradition of the pursuit of excellence will continue to be a core value of this institution”, the Governor said.
The Commissioner, while responding to some of the issues raised by the Guest Lecturer, explained that the Akeredolu-led administration embarked on aggressive infrastructural development in the rural areas in order to discourage rural-urban drift.
The Guest Lecturer had opined that what was lacking in the country is not medical brain drain but poor distribution of medical personnel, particularly in the rural areas, stressing that Nigeria still had the highest number of medical personnel in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Similarly, on the issue of continuity and sustainability of programs and polices by successive governments, which the Guest Lecturer identified as one of the militating factors affecting development in the country, Engr. Aminu said the Akeredolu’s administration was the first to inherit projects of its predecessor and developed it.
While using the UNIMED as an example, the Commissioner noted that the Governor believes that government is continuum, adding that the University has been adequately funded and developed since the inception of the Akeredolu-led administration.
He assured that the present administration will continue to do its best to ensure that the UNIMED is sustained and made a pride of place.
