Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah has awarded scholarships up to university level and cash prizes to four students from the state who emerged victorious in the 25th edition of the President’s Inter-Secondary School Debate Championship held in Abuja.
The winning team, representing Enugu, comprised Emmanuella Chukwuma of Holy Rosary College, Enugu; Chiamaka Okwuibe of Queen’s School, Enugu; Goodness Chinedu Chiemerie of St. Patrick’s College, Emene; and Chibuikem Ukadike of the College of the Immaculate Conception (CIC), Enugu. The team was prepared and coordinated by Mr. Malachi Eze of CIC and Mrs. Joy Agbala of the Post-Secondary School Management Board (PPSMB).
While receiving the team at the Government House in Enugu, Governor Mbah praised their achievement, stating that the victory highlighted the success of his administration’s investment in education. He reaffirmed that his government’s efforts in education, along with a focus on wealth creation and non-kinetic approaches to tackling insecurity, were essential for the state’s growth.
“When we announced that we would allocate 33 percent of our budget to education, many thought it was mere rhetoric,” Mbah said. “But we understood that to achieve a zero percent poverty rate and address insecurity in a non-violent way, we needed radical reforms in education.”
He emphasized that education plays a crucial role in reducing criminality, as many young people turn to crime due to a lack of skills. “If we get education right and anchor development around it, we will ensure that our greatest resource is the wealth of knowledge and skills our people possess,” he added.
Governor Mbah congratulated the students for making Enugu proud and announced his government’s plans to support their journey further, including preparing them for an upcoming international debate competition in the United States. “We will ensure you are well-prepared for the global event and will provide scholarships for your university education,” he assured the students.
The governor also commended the Chairman of the PPSMB, Rev. Fr. Hilary Mgbodile, for his commitment to merit-based selection, which aligns with the administration’s philosophy of prioritizing excellence.
“Merit is at the core of everything we do in this administration,” Mbah said. “By choosing the best of the best, we ensure that our vision and ideas are grounded in capability, not politics. We will continue to focus on investing in education, so that Enugu is known not just in Nigeria but across the world for producing smart, talented children.”
