Ike Nnachi, Abakaliki
Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru has been commended for prioritising human capital development through Ebonyi State’s overseas scholarship programme.
The Federal Commissioner representing Ebonyi State at the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), Mr Nduka Awuregu, and the Ebonyi State Commissioner for Special Duties, Rt. Hon. Barr. Valentine Okike-Uzo, gave the commendations in separate statements on Tuesday.
Their remarks followed the departure of 92 students in the second batch of the state government’s overseas scholarship scheme, who were airlifted to the United Kingdom on Monday to pursue postgraduate studies.
The students departed aboard a chartered flight from the China Okadigbo International Airport, Onueke, with Governor Nwifuru, top government functionaries, stakeholders, and family members present to see them off.
Awuregu described human capital development as the greatest form of development, noting that Governor Nwifuru has consistently demonstrated a clear understanding that investing in people yields long-term and far-reaching impact beyond physical infrastructure such as roads, bridges and flyovers.
“Human development remains the greatest development, and that is exactly what Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru continues to prioritise across his various projects in Ebonyi State,” Awuregu said.
He described the scholarship initiative as a “golden pen of opportunities,” explaining that the governor’s approvals and endorsements have opened doors, removed barriers and empowered Ebonyi youths to compete favourably on the global stage.
Awuregu, who recently visited some Ebonyi scholarship beneficiaries studying in the United Kingdom, said he was emotionally moved by the improved quality of life of the students and the transformative impact of the programme on their families and communities.
“I shed tears of joy seeing what these young people have become. The multiple ripple effects of this investment on Ebonyi State and beyond cannot be overemphasised,” he stated.
He highlighted the achievement of one of the beneficiaries, Victor Ama from Edda Local Government Area, who is currently pursuing a Master’s degree at the University of Greater Manchester.
Ama, he said, was recently recognised for his outstanding software engineering project on real-time sign language translation and voice captioning using a multimodal artificial intelligence approach.
According to Awuregu, the project—focused on inclusive communication through on-device deep learning systems—demonstrates technology transfer, skills export and the global relevance of Ebonyi’s intellectual capacity.
“This is Ebonyi to the world. This is technology transfer. This is skills and services export redefined,” he said.
He urged the beneficiaries to remain focused and committed in order to further validate the governor’s vision of sustainable development anchored on human capital.
Also speaking, the Commissioner for Special Duties, Okike-Uzo, described the scholarship programme as visionary and people-centred, noting that it is transforming the educational landscape of the state.
He recalled that exactly one year earlier, the first batch of about 300 Ebonyi students were sent to top universities in the United Kingdom, Canada and the United States to pursue Master’s and PhD programmes under full sponsorship by the Ebonyi State Government through the State Scholarship Board.
He added that over 1,000 Ebonyi indigenes also benefitted from similar postgraduate scholarship opportunities in Nigerian universities within the same period, bringing the total number of beneficiaries to over 1,400.
Okike-Uzo explained that the initiative is anchored on the People’s Charter of Needs, the policy framework guiding Governor Nwifuru’s service delivery, with strong emphasis on education and human capital development.
He stressed that the governor’s approach to governance aligns with the spirit of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), which places the welfare and development of the people at the centre of governance.
“Governor Nwifuru is not only building infrastructure but also building men and women for posterity. These young scholars will, in the coming years, positively impact Ebonyi State, Nigeria and the global community,” Okike-Uzo said.
He added that although the governor operates quietly, he has been widely adjudged one of the best-performing governors in the country, particularly in sectors such as agriculture, housing, education, health, infrastructure, aviation, diaspora relations, human capital development, security, good governance and the rule of law.
According to him, Governor Nwifuru’s humility, simple lifestyle and aversion to waste distinguish him among his peers and underscore his commitment to service and the long-term prosperity of Ebonyi State.
