Akwa Ibom State Governor, Umo Eno, has announced plans to bring students, government and the private sector together at a conference focused on jobs, skills and opportunities beyond the classroom.
Governor Eno disclosed this on Wednesday, October 7, 2026, while receiving student leaders from across the state at the Banquet Hall of the Government House in Uyo.
The governor said the proposed conference would create a platform where students can engage directly with government officials and private-sector organisations on issues affecting their transition from school into the workplace.
According to him, discussions will focus particularly on employment, skills development, entrepreneurship and the challenges young people face after graduation.
Eno said the meeting would also give government an opportunity to explain its programmes, achievements and challenges, while allowing students to ask questions, demand accountability and contribute ideas to the development of Akwa Ibom.
He described students as important stakeholders in the future of the state and urged student leaders to see their positions as opportunities to develop the leadership skills they would need later in life.
The governor challenged them to combine academic excellence with responsible leadership, peaceful participation in public affairs and a commitment to the development of their communities.
He also encouraged students to take their studies seriously, promising that those who distinguish themselves academically would continue to receive recognition and support from his administration.
The governor’s message comes as governments and employers increasingly emphasise the importance of skills that go beyond academic qualifications, particularly as young people prepare to enter an increasingly competitive labour market.
Mediaplusng.com reports that the proposed conference is expected to provide an avenue for students to hear directly from employers and policymakers about available opportunities and the skills required to take advantage of them.
The governor also used the meeting to commend students for maintaining peace across their campuses.
He warned them against allowing politicians to exploit young people for violence or other activities capable of disrupting peace and stability in the state.
Eno further encouraged the students to obtain their Permanent Voter Cards, PVCs, and participate responsibly in the democratic process.
He said young people should have a voice in decisions that directly affect their future, while urging them to exercise that voice peacefully and responsibly.
The student leaders, in turn, highlighted what they described as the impact of the administration’s interventions in education.
Among the initiatives they mentioned was the increase in the state bursary from ₦10,000 to ₦50,000, with higher provisions for students in professional programmes.
They also cited the payment of WAEC and NECO examination fees, the remodelling of schools and the conversion of the state College of Education into a University of Education.
The students further pointed to the recent release of ₦160 million in support of medical students as another example of the administration’s investment in education and human capital development.
The Commissioner for Education, Professor Ubong Umoh, said the student leaders were at Government House partly to appreciate the governor for the financial assistance and other policies designed to reduce the burden of education on students and their families.
The Commissioner for Youth Development, Dr Ekerete Ekanem, also highlighted the youth development centres established across the state.
According to him, the centres are designed to equip young people with practical skills that can help them become self-reliant after graduation.
During the meeting, Governor Eno also approved the elevation of his Personal Assistant on Students Affairs, Comrade Wisdom Emmanuel, to the position of Special Assistant on Students Affairs.
The appointment was described as recognition of his engagement with the student community.
President of NAAKISS Worldwide, Comrade Torobong Obot, thanked the governor for his support to students.
Leaders of NAAKISS, NANS, the 31 local government student bodies and student unions also commended the administration’s education policies.
The meeting later took a political turn when the student leaders announced their endorsement of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Governor Umo Eno for the 2027 elections.
The students said they would mobilise their colleagues across the 31 local government areas ahead of the elections, adding that many students had already obtained their PVCs.
Governor Eno, however, urged the students to use their influence positively and promote the image of Akwa Ibom.
He reminded them that the responsibility for building the state ultimately belongs to its citizens.
The meeting was attended by Deputy Governor Senator Akon Eyakenyi, Secretary to the State Government Prince Enobong Uwah, Executive Assistant and Chief Delivery Advisor to the Governor Aniefiok Johnson, members of the State Executive Council and other government officials.
For the students, the proposed conference could provide an important bridge between the classroom and the realities of employment, skills and entrepreneurship.
And for the Akwa Ibom government, it represents another attempt to position young people not only as beneficiaries of government programmes, but as active participants in shaping the future of the state.
