Ben Odoh, Ebonyi State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice
Three undergraduates in Ebonyi State have each won a one-year tuition waiver after emerging winners of the maiden Tertiary Institutions Debate held on Tuesday in Abakaliki.
Organised by the Ministries of Justice and Solid Minerals Development, the debate focused on “Mobilising Collective Efforts for the Actualisation of the People’s Charter of Needs: Mineral Resources as a Catalyst for Peace and Development in Ebonyi State.”
Of the 30 registered students, six reached the final stage. Gold Egwu, a 200-level Nursing Science student at Alex Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu-Alike (AE-FUNAI), won first place with 90 points.
Anyigor Basil, a 400-level Physiology student at Ebonyi State University (EBSU), was second with 78 points, while Ezekiel Mbam, a 200-level Physiology student at EBSU, came third with 68 points.
Ebonyi Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Ben Odoh, urged youths to harness mineral resources responsibly for peace and economic growth, noting that poor resource management is a major cause of local crises.
The state’s Commissioner for Solid Minerals Development, who was represented at the event, highlighted Ebonyi’s deposits, including granite, lead ore, limestone, barite, marble, and gypsum, stressing that equitable management could foster unity, create jobs, and drive development.
