The Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has assured first class graduates of the University of Benin (UNIBEN) of Edo origin of automatic recruitment into the State Civil and Public Service.
The Governor gave the assurance while addressing graduates at the 48th Convocation and 53rd Founders’ Day ceremony at the UNIBEN main campus, in Ugbowo, Benin City.
This is as the Edo State First Lady, Mrs. Betsy Obaseki was awarded an honorary Doctorate Degree (Honoraris Causa) by the University.
Governor Obaseki said, “Governance is key and the quality of governance I see the Vice Chancellor of this University display is the one that is so admirable. As a government, we decided, seven years ago, to support this university even if it is not a state-owned university. This university is all about knowledge for service and what this university has done to position Edo State in Nigeria in terms of human capacity development is really unheard of.
“We are not a large State but a state with a population of about 5 million people and one university graduating 500 PhDs speaks a lot. I want to thank the University for this achievement.”
Obaseki added, “It is now a standing policy for the Edo State Government that any student of Edo State origin graduating with a first class degree from any recognized university gets an automatic job from the Edo State Government. For your 179 students who may not want to proceed immediately for further studies, just tell them that with just one e-mail, they get an automatic job with the Edo State Civil/Public Service.”
He continued, “I have to be here to honour this event because this will be the last time I will be participating as governor of Edo State. I see quality Nigerians selected for honour today.
“My wife asked if she could travel with me to China and send a representative to receive the award on her behalf but I insisted that she should stay and receive the award because the award is prestigious.”
Notable Nigerians who were honoured with doctorate degrees at the Convocation ceremony include the Edo State First Lady, Mrs. Betsy who was honoured with a Doctorate of Business Administration; former Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola SAN who was honoured with Doctorate of Law, amongst others.
The Chief of Staff to Edo State Governor, Engr. Osaigbovo Iyoha was decorated with a PhD in Industrial Engineering.
In her remarks, Mrs. Obaseki thanked the University for the honour.
She commended the efforts and resilience of great and outstanding women in the academia and government in Nigeria as they overcame various challenges of gender-based violence.
She said, “I, my husband and family, will commence the construction of a legacy project at the Ekenwan Campus of UNIBEN. I hope the project will be a legacy project and an artistic destination for the State. I dedicate this degree to my husband, the governor of Edo State who has nurtured me and supported me to the point I am today.”
