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By:Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa
Bayelsa state medical university, BMU has held its first matriculation ceremony at its campus in Yenagoa.
Speaking at the ceremony, the institution’s visitor and Governor of Bayelsa state, Seriake Dickson stated that the rational behind establishing the institution as a special medical university was to train and produce future medical professionals to serve humanity in their respective medical specialty.
According to the visitor,the university which is located at the 500 bed hospital earlier conceived and build by the first executive Governor of the state, the late DSP Alamieyeseigha was born out of the need to train these students with state of the art medical facilities, saying by situating the school there the hospital project which though is at its finishing status will be completed to serve as both hospital and a training place for the student.
The Governor commended the 8th House of Assembly of the state through which he presented the executive bill establishing the institution,saying the Lawmakers were quite supportive of his administration.
“I want to commend the Speaker of the Bayelsa state 8th Assembly, Konbowei Benson ably seated here. It was during his tenure as speaker that my team and I conceived this whole idea of establishing the Bayelsa state medical university.And so we presented an executive bill creating this institution to the House for consideration and they deliberated and passed the law establishing this University.” He said.
Retreiring his desire to see the students of the university graduating to render medical services across the state and beyond,Governor Dickson noted that the appointment of Professors Nimi Briggs as pro-chancellor and chairman Governing council and Ebitimitula Etebu as vice chancellor of the University was as a result of giving the students and society the best from this combination for effective capacity building and service delivery.
Speaking also,the Executive Secretary,National Universities commission, NUC, Professor Abubakar Rasheed represented by Dr.Chris Mayaiki commended the state Governor for giving education priority in the state.
The NUC helmsman noted that due to the deficit of professional medical practioners in the nation which fall below the world Health organisation’s statistics of one Doctor to every 600 people when the state Government approached the commission to register and approve this specialty university the commission granted the state the approval,noting that the Bayelsa state medical University now brings the total number of medical Universities in the nation to five.
In his remarks, Vice Chancellor of the University, Professor Ebitimitula Etebu charged the students to live up to the ratings of the citadel of learning, stressing that the school has intentionally recruited the best academic staffs to give students the best in their academic pursuit.
Etebu lauded the Governor for his foresight, emphasising that soon the state would be reaping the benefits of having this special university, advising students to take advantage of the modern facilities in the school.
While pledging his commitment to bringing his wealth of experience to bear in discharging the duties of his office,the pro-chancellor,Briggs hinted that the school will not fall short of expectations in its quest to produce professional
Medical manpower for the state and beyond.
The Emeritus professor and former Vice Chancellor,University of Port Harcourt maintained that soon the institution would be a model for others to emulate,harping that Governor Dickson has genuine intentions for the development of the state,especially with attention to Education at all levels.
