By Emmanuel Awari-Jalingo
The Taraba State Governor, Dr Agbu Kefas, has expressed his administration’s commitment towards improving the standard of health care delivery services and training of youths through the College of Nursing and Midwifery, Jalingo, which is one of the administration’s cardinal points.
Represented by the Deputy Governor, Alhaji Aminu Abdullahi Alkali, Dr Agbu Kefas, disclosed this during the College Maiden Convocation ceremony in Jalingo, Taraba State Capital.
He emphasised that, his administration deemed it necessary to make sure that the contractor handling the project of the college is adequately mobilised back to work and complete it to pave way for conducive teaching and learning.
“My dream is to make sure that the college becomes the best, not only In Nigeria, but Africa at large.
“Because of the passion and love I have for the college, I personally supervised the level of work on many occasions and directed the immediate connection of power supply, water, slashing of school and hostel fees to alleviate the sufferings of parents and the inclusion of the college into the National Board for Technical Education to make it National Diploma, Higher National Diploma awarding institution.
Speaking, the Commissioner, Ministry of Health, Dr Bodiya Boma, commended Governor Agbu Kefas for giving priority to the health sector.
“The convocation is timely because the college was the first higher institution visited by Governor Agbu Kefas after his assumption of office, this demonstrate that the Governor’s approval of the infrastructural projects in the college stemmed from his desire to make the college the best in the country to compete with global standard.
“I urged the graduands and Alumni of this college to hold onto the best practices they were taught in the noble profession.
“I want to also call on the management of the college to ensure that they train products the society would be proud of.
Dr Boma challenged critical stakeholders to play vital roles for the development of the college.
On her part, the Provost of the College, Mrs Esther Danjuma Gana, described the maiden convocation as unique.
“The College was established on the 30th October, 1992 as school of Nursing by the Former Governor of Taraba state, Rev Jolly Nyame, with late Augustine Bala Aji as the pioneer principal.”
“The occasion marked a special day in the existence of the college because it gave us the opportunity to showcase with pride and honour 2452 skilled and qualified graduands in different areas of study.
She thanked Governor Agbu Kefas for supporting the college in several areas.
The Provost, congratulated the graduands and wished them well in their future endeavours and urged the remaining students to work hard towards achieving their goals.
Mrs Esther Gana listed some of the achievements recorded when she came on board to include full accreditation of the college by the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria, National Board for Technical Education and approval to operate as monotechnic and commencement of National Diploma, and Higher National Diploma in Nursing, among others.
High points of the occasion includes the conferment of awards of excellent on Governor Agbu Kefas and the former Governor of Taraba state, Reverend Jolly Nyame for their meritorious service to humanity. 74 graduands were also awarded with medals in their various fields of study.