National Association of Kwara State Students (NAKSS) has stressed the need for dialogue between students and government, noting that unionism is not all about fighnting government but providing a way forward.
Speaking during first edition of reunion meeting of ex-members of NAKSS in Ilorin at the weekend, pioneer president of the association, Prince Sulaiman Ayo Fagbemi, said members of the group can encourage both the students and government at improving standard of education in the state.
“Our coming together can complement efforts of the state government in the area of education, community development and social intervention programmes, which could in turn assist less privileged students of the state”, he said.
Also speaking, a guest speaker from the University of Port Harcourt, Rivers state, Dr. Abdulrahman Yusuf, talked on the theme, leadership transformation: roles, impact and participation of NAKSS ex-members in politics and community development; a match towards a fulfilled Kwara.
Dr. Yusuf, who condemned level of development in state, given the year of its creation in comparison with other states in such areas of public primary school, moribund industries, and quality of teachers, said that, “quality education will give the state the needed competent lawyers, doctors, engineers, teachers, economists, bankers, technologists.
He charged ex-NAKSS leaders to think of a foundation that will address such areas of development in the state.
The university don, who stressed the need to reposition NAKSS as a formidable pressure group to become a think-tank for the state, stressed the need for tested and trusted leadership that could produce desired results.
“Attracting investors into the state would not be a herculean task for someone who has connected with many people in his professional career”, he said.
However, the sponsor of the programme, Barr. Ibrahim Atanda, said condemnation would not solve the problem of the state, saying that members of the group should come together to rescue the state.
The outgoing NAKSS national president, Comrade Adisa Jaji Azeez, said the programme was aimed at reorganisation, boosting and development of Kwara community.
He called for establishment of NAKSS foundation that would see to securing local and foreign scholarships for NAKSS members (student), and to embark on community development projects in all 16 local government areas of the sate among other projects.
End.
