School authorities in Akwa Ibom State have been charged to inculcate ethical and sound moral values in the students under their tutelage so as to turn out well groomed persons who would offer their knowledge to make the society a better place for every individual to live.

The State Governor Mr Udom Emmanuel gave the charge when he, in company of his Wife Martha, visited Cornellia Cornelly College, Afaha Oku, Uyo, to inaugurate internal roads and renovated buildings embarked upon within the period of his one year stay on the saddle.

He observed that schools, outside the family, is where children spend most of their time for learning and frowned at the situation where parents devote much of their time pursuing career and money to the detriment of their children saying that the development has brought devastating effect on the children and the larger society as they are easily lured into criminality and other vices.

Governor Emmanuel therefore urged teachers to rekindle sound academic competitiveness and moral virtues to ensure that students are equipped in learning and character assuring that his administration is prepared to upgrade facilities in schools across the state to serve as model institutions and congratulated the contracting firm Hensek Integrated Services for delivering the project on schedule.

The Akwa Ibom State first Lady Martha Udom Emmanuel, an old girl of the institution, said she was touched during her last visit to the school by the dilapidation on the structures which made the once prestigious citadel of learning a shadow of itself.

While charging the students to be guided by the School motto “Action not Words” to excel in their chosen field of study Mrs Emmanuel expressed appreciation to the Governor for rising to restore the lost glory of the College and urged the school authorities to justify the huge investment by maintaining high academic standard in the Institution.

Earlier the Commissioner for Works, Mr Ephraim Inyang, listed projects executed in the school to include renovation of Laboratory block, Hostels and network of internal roads and drew the Governor’s attention to the menace of erosion behind the school.

The Works Commissioner harped on the need for the construction of perimeter fence to protect the female students and safeguard the institution from external incursion.

The Principal of the College Mrs Grace Asuquo and the Project Contractor, Mr Uwem Okoko, expressed appreciation to Governor Udom Emmanuel for providing a befitting infrastructure in the school and for for giving the firm, Hensek Integrated Services opportunity to showcase it expertise in the project execution.

The event which climaxed with the inauguration of internal roads and renovated buildings within the School and unveiling of the statute of Mrs Martha Udom Emmanuel featured traditional dances performed by the students.

•Photo shows Governor Emmanuel and Wife Martha.

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