Governor Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi State, has approved scholarship awards to 187 pioneer students of the University of ICT, Science and Technology, Oferekpe located in Izzi Local Government Area of the state.
Nwifuru announced this on Saturday while delivering an address at the maiden matriculation ceremony of the institution held at the convocation arena.
He said the 187 students will be on scholarship for five years, even if they are unable to access the Federal Government of Nigeria Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) scholarships.
The State Chief Executive reiterated zero tolerance to examination malpractice, cultism and other anti-social behaviours .
He explained that the motive behind the establishment of the University was to graduate students to be job creators through innovation and technology, rather than being job seekers in the already saturated job markets.
” In our manifesto, we emphasised entrepreneurship, skill acquisition and education for economic self-reliance at all levels”
“The reason is not far-fetched, the rate of unemployment is troubling and only entrepreneurship education can empower our young people to be self-employed and create their own job opportunities, he butttessed.
He restated that this form of education was the reason behind the establishment of the institution that will produce graduates that will think outside the box and provide innovative solutions to the problem.
According to him, “The state government has embarked on the construction of conducive lecture theatres, senate, administrative building, Staff and student quarters”
He enjoined the matriculants to be good ambassadors of the university, Oferekpe Agbaja community, their respective families and the state in general.
Earlier in an address, the Vice Chancellor of the ivory tower Engr Professor Ernest Egba, announced that since the commencement of academic activities mid-2025, the institution has covered many research mileages ranging from creative sketching, production of medical consumables and other products that support female hygienes.
Professor Egba stated that the university was not accidental but intentional .
“The investment in the university is an investment in the technological sovereignty of our dear state and nation Nigeria”.
The academic don emphasized that the various faculties of the institution comprising Engineering and Technology; Computing; Communication, Management and Social Science; Allied Health Science, Architecture and Environmental Sciences were housing 20 academic programmes.
