On Saturday, former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, pleaded with the Federal Government to include private university students as beneficiaries in its student loan scheme.
Dogara, who made this plea during the 13th convocation ceremony of Achievers University, Owo, appealed to the federal government to consider the plight faced by students of private tertiary institutions nationwide.
According to him, the student loan scheme should also be properly managed for the benefit of the teeming youths of this country, both in private and public tertiary institutions.
He said since underemployment and unemployment are bedmates of poverty, eliminating them must be the focal point of the government’s policies.
“If we don’t ever make it to the point where we can have a rational conversation about economic justice, it would not be because it’s impossible to achieve but because we lack the right leadership.
“We have talked so much about ending so many things in Nigeria; now is the time to talk about creating wealth and ending poverty,” he said.
At the convocation, no fewer than 518 institution students graduated with first degrees out of the 552 graduated students, while 37 of the graduates bagged first class and 259 were awarded second class upper. Additionally, 195 got second-class lower, and 27 graduated with third-class honours.
Speaking, the Pro-Chancellor of the university, Dr Bode Ayorinde, said that despite the harsh economic environment being witnessed globally, the University Governing Council has prioritized and will continue to prioritize the welfare of its staff and students.
He said, “We have ensured that the salaries and wages of all staff for the 16 years of our existence have been fully paid. We have successfully implemented the Contributory Pension Scheme, and the staff-University joint contribution is remitted to Pension Funds Administrators promptly and regularly.
“Pending the release of a new salary structure for staff of government universities, the council recently approved and implemented palliatives to all categories of our staff to cushion the effect of fuel subsidy removal and the hardship occasioned by the policy.
“I want to assure you that we shall continue to do everything possible within the limit of our resources to motivate our staff so as to secure their trust and commitment to achieve our mission statement.”
Dr. Ayorinde, who said the university was committed to its founding vision and mission, said, “we are just 16 years old in our journey to impacting humanity. Keep believing in us, and together, we shall fulfill our dreams and aspirations by the grace of God.”
Speaking, the acting Vice-Chancellor of the institution, Prof. Omolola Irinoye, disclosed that the institution would continue to expand its infrastructure by taking agriculture as a priority in the nearest future.
“As we commit to the development of agriculture with emphasis on food security, we would work to expand collaboration and partnership to achieve success. The university is working to bring to reality the convening of stakeholders in an agriculture development and food security summit in the coming year,” she said.
Prof. Irinoye, however, congratulated the graduated students for their outstanding milestone that opens them to the world of achievement.
The best-graduating student of the 2022/2023 set of the university, Rebecca Adama, who spoke on behalf of the graduating students, said, “growing up, I was not an exceptional student, and I had this teacher back then who saw me as dull and talked me down.
“Getting into the higher institution, it was not one of my goals to be among the best students because I didn’t think of it at all. But I gave due diligence to my studies, and it has paid off now. I have realised that there are no special people; the result is the same when the principles are right.
“Whatever your hands find to do, do it with all your might. To my colleagues that are being discharged, I congratulate you all.”
