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Abiodun to set up special committee on rehabilitation of public schools
Bankole Taiwo, Abeokuta
The Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun says his administration will soon set up a special committee on the rehabilitation of public schools in the state.
According to a statement issued in Abeokuta by Kunle Somorin, the Governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Abiodun made this known when he received the Ogun State chapter of the Association of Primary School Head Teachers of Nigeria (AOPSHON) at the Exco Chamber of the Governor’s Office, Oke Mosan, Abeokuta.
He explained that the special committee would look into the public schools that are not included in the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) programme.
The Governor informed his visitors that his administration has paid the state counterpart fund SUBEB with the view to further intervene in the development of basic education in the state.
He further disclosed that the State Government would be launching its Education Trust Fund for the purpose of the special committee, adding that funds from the trust fund would assist the special committee on rehabilitation of public schools.
“We have paid another counterpart fund to SUBEB so they can Intervene further, but beyond SUBEB, we realise they can’t do it alone, I have decided that I am going to set up a special committee on the rehabilitation of public schools.
“That special committee’s responsibility is basic education infrastructure, it will look at schools that SUBEB will not be handling and we have decided to launch our Education Trust Fund specifically for this purpose.
“The fund will be a sinking fund where we will creatively look for money we can put into the fund and it is that fund that will assist the special committee on rehabilitation of public schools to ensure that all the ones not covered by SUBEB is not left for another SUBEB year,” he said.
Abiodun,who also noted that his administration has decided to localise the production of school furniture in the state, added that the decision would not only empower more artisans, but would also ensure they can be held responsible for a any shoddy job.
“I have requested that the provision of more furniture for our schools across board, but this time, I have decided to localise it’s production to avoid what happened in the past whereby we awarded a contract to someone somewhere, who then brought the furniture to a central position, from where the furniture would then be distributed across other parts of the state.
“We have now decided to change the model where our furniture are made from a central position, let us even use this to empower artisans in the immediate vicinity where we have this furniture deficit.
“So, let the artisans in Ogun Waterside be the ones to get the contract to provide the furniture for Ogun Waterside, artisans in Ijebu-Ode provide for Ijebu-Ode, so we can even make them responsible. If the items are substandard, we know who to hold. And we don’t now have pay for the cost of transportation too,” he said.
He noted that primary school teachers are important to the education value chain, saying that his administration would continue to do all it can to continue to develop the education sector in the state.
Governor Abiodun also noted that his administration would make available affordable homes in the state for the head teachers of primary schools.
The Governor who reiterated the decision of his administration to ensure that the appointment of Head Teacher-General is made permanent, disclosed that a bill that would institutionalize the title of Head Teacher-General in the state is underway
“You mentioned the gazette of the title of the Head Teacher-General, what has slowed that down is because we are trying to ensure that it has the required legislative backing. So, we are working on that to ensure that we have a law, a bill that is drafted that turns into a law so that it is properly institutionalised, so nobody is going to come after my tenure to reverse it,” he said.
Earlier in his remarks, the Chairman of the association, Balogun Olatunji, while commending the Governor for the prompt payment of salaries and the rehabilitation of school buildings across the state, submitted that the association is solidly behind the aspiration of the Governor for a second term in office.
Gov. Douye Diri of Bayelsa has set up a committee to work out modalities for implementation of a new minimum wage for workers in the state’s civil service.
The committee is headed by Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Nimibofa Ayawei.
Other members included the Head of Service, Mrs Biobelemoye Charles-Onyeama, the Commissioner for Finance, Maxwell Ebibai, his Labour, Productivity and Employment counterpart, Ebiuwou Koku-Obiyai and the Chief of Staff, Government House, Mr Peter Akpe.
The committee has the end of May 2024 to submit its report.
Diri made the pronouncement on Wednesday at the 2024 Workers Day celebration at the Peace Park in Yenagoa.
The governor assured that his administration would implement a new minimum wage once the committee submitted its report, adding that the state workers always have emoluments as their federal counterparts.
Diri stressed that the welfare of workers had always been a top priority of his administration as attested to by the numerous worker-friendly policies he initiated.
He equally promised to commence the building of a new befitting secretariat complex for civil servants to accommodate the increasing workforce.
The state’s helmsman, who described workers as the backbone of development in society, attributed the achievements in his first tenure to the support and contributions of civil servants.
He called for continuous harmonious working relationship with his government in order to bequeath lasting legacies.
The Bayelsa helmsman also approved an annual step increment for civil servants, release of funds for completion of the state secretariat of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC).
“The committee is to immediately look into what the Federal Government has done on the proposed minimum wage and see the possibility of domesticating it in Bayelsa.
“It is given until the end of May to submit its report.
“My dear workers of Bayelsa, you have done so well. You know that you are the engine room of this government. We have succeeded because you have done so well. We receive commendations everywhere we go.
“In terms of infrastructure, human capacity building and other sectors, we have done well. I say you should continue to keep it up.”
According to him, together, we are building a Bayelsa of our dreams, a beacon of hope, a model of progress and a testament to our unity of purpose.
“The tangible evidence of these fruitful collaborations is that abundantly, we have made it clear for all to see in the plethora of transformative legacy projects that now span the length and breadth of our state, touching the lives of all Bayelsa people.
“Let us continue to work together so that the future of our state will be established.
“Beyond the ongoing renovation, we will look at the option of building a new state-of-the-art secretariat complex to accommodate the expanding workforce,” he said.
Earlier, the workers eulogised the governor for his labour-friendly policies that had improved their working condition.
In a joint address by the chairman of the NLC, Comrade Barnabas Simon, and his TUC counterpart, Comrade Laye Julius, the workers specifically thanked the governor for approving payment of wage award to all categories of workers in Bayelsa.
“We thank you for the regular conduct of promotion exercises and implementation, prompt payment of salaries of workers and pensioners, among others.
“Organised labour in Bayelsa is most sincerely grateful for your kind and favourable disposition to the needs and aspirations of workers in the state.
“Your open-door policies and swift response to most of our demands in the last four years is highly appreciated,” they said.
They, however, appealed for an upward review of the wage award, improved transportation system for workers, and mapping out of acquired lands for civil servants.
Minister of Works, Dave Umahi has said the Group Chief Executive Officer and founder of The Landmark Group, Paul Onwuanibe, cannot claim compensation from the Federal Government in connection with the demolition of structures for the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway.
The Federal Government is currently demolishing properties along the shoreline to create a pathway for the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway.
The Landmark Group, owners of the Landmark beach in Lagos State, is believed to be one of the organisations that will be highly affected by the demolition.
However, Umahi has insisted that infrastructures belonging to Landmark were spared, hence the owner can’t make claims on the Federal Government.
Addressing journalists, the minister said the beach was on the right of way and shoreline.
He said: “No claim for Landmark, we spared all his infrastructure, we don’t pay for the demolition of shanties because it is on our right-of-way, 15 meters from the shoreline, so he has no claim.
“We made all efforts to spare his infrastructure. The Landmark owner is acting like a politician, me I’m an engineer.
“While he does all the politics, I am an engineer, I’ll do the engineering work. I don’t know the attention he is seeking.”
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