Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo, has assured Salem University Community of a secured and safe environment for conducive teaching and learning.
The governor gave the assurance at the 6th Convocation ceremony of the Institution held on Friday 29th of November, 2024 in Lokoja.
The University graduated 497 students at the combined 6th Convocation ceremony. 471 first degree graduates and 26 post graduate students.
Forty two (42) students graduated with first class division, 247 with second class upper division, 176 with 2nd class lower division while 6 students came out with 3rd class division.
Speaking at ceremony, the governor said his administration would sustained the security being enjoyed by the University in order to ensure a safe environment for teaching and learning.
Ododo, who was represented by the State Commissioner for Education Hon. Wemi Jones, FCIB said the State Government has obligation to make sure that the University attained a higher height and to turned out graduates of high Educational values and qualities.
He noted that the State Government would continue to consolidate on the already laid solid foundation in Education by allocating more funds to the sector, noting that rather than going below the 30% benchmark laid by the immediate past administration of Governor Yahaya Bello, the present Administration would increased the budgetary allocation to Education.
The Government he said would focused on revamping the Basic Education, noting that to get Education right, the Basic Education which is Foundation of Education must be put in order.
Hon. Jones who re-emphasized the State Government continued payment of all Internal and External Examination fees for Pupils and students in public Primary and Secondary schools in the State said the program would improved access to quality and affordable Education and also reduced the rate of out of school children.
The State he noted would focused on inclusive and all round Education, focusing on entrepreneurship and vocational training in order to equipped the students with skills to be self sustaining.
He also said that tertiary Institutions owned by the State would be fully funded to ensure that the graduates shunned out would compete favorably in the global Market.
In his address, the Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof. Alewo Johnson Akubo congratulated the students and urged them to be good ambassadors of the University.
He charged them to strive to imbibe the letter and spirit of the University’s core values of Godliness, Confidence, Accountability, Integrity, Mental empowerment, Diligence and Resourcefulness, saying that these should be their guiding principles.
Also speaking, the Chancellor and Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Honorable Justice Stephen Jonah Adah congratulated the graduating students for their new status as “change Agents” and ambassadors of Salem University, Lokoja.
He advised them to regard the attainment of the first degree as a spring board to higher heights, saying that the degrees offered them the opportunities to register their names amongst the wise contributors to human progress.
He called on the Government to put in place policies and programs that would address Labor market distortions, noting that the dangers from the turbulent Nigerian Labor Market must be addressed.
Highpoints of the ceremony was the presentation of awards to the best graduating students.
