The Provost of the College of Medicine, Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT), Professor Uchenna Ekwochi, has said Governor Peter Mbah’s Smart Green School initiative is laying the foundation for a generation of globally competitive children through quality, technology-driven education.

Professor Ekwochi made the remark, Thursday, during the Cultural Day celebration at the Enugu Smart Green School, Umueze Awkunanaw, in Nkanu West Local Government Area, where he commended the Enugu State Government for its bold investment in educational transformation.

Describing the Smart Green School initiative as a visionary intervention, the renowned paediatrician said the facilities provide pupils with the knowledge, digital skills and experiential learning needed to compete successfully with their peers anywhere in the world.

He noted that he attended the event not only to celebrate with the pupils but also to inspire them, reminding the children that every successful professional was once a young learner with dreams and aspirations.

Professor Ekwochi, who celebrated his birthday alongside his son, Gideon Ekwochi, with the pupils, thanked the state government for bringing the world-class educational facility to the community.

The Provost also praised the siting of a Type-2 Primary Healthcare Centre beside the school, describing it as a strategic intervention that would improve access to quality healthcare, strengthen primary healthcare delivery and enhance the well-being of residents.

According to him, communities across Enugu State no longer have to lobby for government projects, noting that the equitable distribution of development projects reflects Governor Mbah’s commitment to inclusive governance and balanced development.

He urged members of the community to take ownership of the Smart Green School by protecting its facilities from vandalism, stressing that public participation is essential to sustaining government’s investment in education.

As part of efforts to promote academic excellence, Professor Ekwochi, who fully sponsored the school’s Cultural Day celebration, announced a cash award of ₦100,000 for the overall best graduating Primary Six pupil progressing to Junior Secondary School.

Also speaking, the Igwe-elect of Umueze Awkunanaw, Dr. Emeka Ani, thanked the governor for bringing the Smart Green School to the community, describing it as a landmark investment in the future of children.

He assured that the community would safeguard the facility and commended Professor Ekwochi for his longstanding contributions to education, scholarships and community development.

Similarly, a stakeholder from the community, Surveyor Geoffrey Agbo described the Smart Green School as a transformative project that would expose children to modern digital learning and prepare them for future technological challenges.

He urged residents to protect the facility while describing it as a collective asset for present and future generations.

Earlier, the Head Teacher of the school, Mrs. Ngene Nwabueze, expressed appreciation to provost for sponsoring the successful Cultural Day celebration.

She also praised Governor Mbah for delivering a state-of-the-art Smart Green School equipped with 25 modern classrooms, solar-powered electricity, potable water, smart boards, computers, science laboratories, digital library, campus-wide internet connectivity and other experiential learning facilities, adding that the initiative has set a new benchmark for basic education in the state and beyond.

Governor Peter Mbah has approved the recruitment of over 6,500 qualified candidates into various academic, technical, and administrative positions in public primary and secondary schools in Enugu State, particularly the 267 Smart Green Schools.

The government, in a statement by the Executive Chairman of the Enugu State Universal Basic Education Board (ENSUBEB), Prof. Hyginus Okibe Banko, said the basic qualifications for the various positions include a Bachelor’s Degree in Education; or a Bachelor’s Degree/HND in a relevant discipline in addition to a Postgraduate Diploma in Education (PGDE); or a Nigerian Certificate in Education (NCE) in the specified subject areas. Registration or proof of ongoing registration with the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN) is mandatory.

The statement added that there are also vacancies for OND and SSCE/WASSCE holders in relevant positions.

All candidates applying for Degree/HND positions must possess a valid NYSC discharge or exemption certificate and demonstrate practical proficiency in information and communication technology (ICT) tools across all cadres.

Interested applicants are to submit a formal application letter, accompanied by a detailed curriculum vitae (CV), copies of academic and professional credentials, a birth certificate or sworn declaration of age, and valid contact details.

Hard copy applications should be submitted directly to the Office of the Executive Chairman, Enugu State Universal Basic Education Board (ENSUBEB), Enugu State.

For electronic submissions, all application documents should be compiled into a single PDF file and sent directly to ENSUBEB’s official email address: ensubebofficial@outlook.com. The deadline for the submission of applications is Friday, August 14, 2026.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has asked governors to stop building flyovers where it is not really necessary, but redirect the resources to ventures and amenities that will assist in tackling the prevailing insecurity in the country.

Addressing traditional rulers from Oyo State, who visited him at Aso Villa, Abuja, on Wednesday, the President also spoke about insecurity.

He said some of those terrorising Nigerians are non-Nigerians, adding that the problem of insecurity in Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger Republic, is adding more fuel to our challenges.

Tinubu told the delegation led by the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, that the state police will soon be a reality.

He also promised that his administration will boost the forest guards to enable them compliment the effort of other security agencies.

He said, “In fact, that is why we must enhance the capacity of the forest guards as well as create the state police and you have governed before as the governor.

“You need to help us communicate to these governors. Today, the economy of operation is high. But the money that I’m pushing to the states, if you had it during your own time or during my time, it would have been different.

“Nobody is borrowing money to pay salaries now. Pensioners are receiving their pay, and they should do more, instead of fly over where there is no numeric traffic, build roads and arteries network to really enhance the quality of life and the accessibility of the security agencies to penetrate those areas.”