By 
By Usman Aliyu
Sen. George Akume, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), says only a robust collaboration between the public and private sectors can stimulate research and development in Nigeria.
Akume made this assertion on Saturday while delivering the 21st convocation lecture of the Igbinedion University, Okada, Edo.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the lecture was titled “Public and Private Sector Intervention in Tertiary Education in Nigeria: Stimulus for Innovative Research and Development”.
The SGF noted that such private and public sectors’ synergy would drive sustainable growth and ensure a brighter future for the country.
According to him, since the creation of Igbinedion University in 1999, as the first private university in Nigeria, private investment in tertiary education has come to complement public efforts.
“We must agree that the future of Nigeria lies on the quality of education we provide in our tertiary institutions.
”With collaboration between public and private sectors, we can stimulate research and development, thereby driving sustainable growth and ensuring a brighter future for our great nation.
“Let’s be encouraged by the giant stride that the Federal Government is making to better the lot of Nigerians.
“President Bola Tinubu has been working tirelessly to reposition our economy and improve the quality of life of Nigerians.
“He has been wooing investors across the world and bring them back to the country.
”I can assure that certainly the move has started yielding result,” he said.
The country’s chief scribe said that the present administration at the centre was youths focused; hence the graduates at the convocation must leverage of the policies to tackle the challenge of unemployment.
Over N10 billion, he noted, was allocated in the budget for youth focused programmes.
Earlier, the Vice-Chancellor of the university, Prof. Lawrence Ezemonye, said the institution was partnering with Havard University on research and training endeavour on malaria eradication in Africa.
In view of this, he said, two members of staff of the university had been recommended to join in the pursuit.
The vice-chancellor, who highlighted the achievements of the school in recent time, said the institution looked forward to celebrate its silver jubilee in May 2024, as the premier private university in the country.
NAN reports that the height of the ceremony was the conferment of honourary degrees on a former Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Yusuf Buratai, and a former Chief Judge of Edo, Justice Joe Acha. NAN
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