The Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has called on the government to support and partner with private universities.
He said this on Wednesday, March 20, while speaking at the silver jubilee celebration of Madonna University, which took place at the main campus in Elele, Rivers State.
To explain the benefits of government supporting private universities, he took the congregation back to when he was the governor of Anambra State and how he partnered with Madonna University. In what he described as his policy, Obi maintained that education is the “most important investment” any country can make for its citizens.
“I partnered with all private universities in Anambra state to construct a road to the university,” Obi said. It was my policy that since you have a faculty of civil engineering, I would pay them money; they would be the contractors to do the road, and I did that with Madonna University.”
Addressing the River State government, Obi continued, “This is a private university. You people are supposed to support it. They are doing the work of the government. So, it would be best if you do not come to charge them… It would be best if you were giving them money.
“That is what the government should be doing. The government should support private universities. The children that are in these schools are our children.”
Obi thanked the founder of Madonna University, Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Edeh, for the “wonderful work” the professor has done since its inception.
In an X posted by Obi on Thursday, he thanked the institution for giving him an award.
“I thank them for honouring me with an award for my contribution to their growth as an institution,” he said.
Yesterday, I participated in the Silver Jubilee Celebration of Madonna University, at their main campus in Elele, Rivers State. I was delighted to share in their joy of having maintained an enviable and steady educational growth for the past 25 years. pic.twitter.com/QoUYL08gnU
— Peter Obi (@PeterObi) March 21, 2024
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