From: LAYI OLANREWAJU,Ilorin
Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara State, on Tuesday, stressed the need for all stakeholders in the nation’s education sector to step up inputs toward the arrest of infrastructural decay in colleges and tertiary institutions.
Receiving members of the Government Secondary School, Omu-Aran Old Boys Association (OGSSOBA), on a courtesy call, in Ilorin , Governor Ahmed said that the responsibility of bridging the school infrastructure gaps had gone beyond government intervention alone.
He added that quantum of rehabilitation work begging for attention across the nation was overwhelming.
Ahmed noted the current efforts of OGSSOBA to rehabilitate classrooms, libraries and administrative blocks in their Alma Mata was quite commendable.
The governor assured that he would take an urgent look on the need list of the school which is preparing for its 50th anniversary in May 2017.
He also appealed to all well-meaning individuals and corporate organisations to give back to the society through education endowments.
Earlier, the National President of OGSSOBA, Mr. Segun Adeniyi, said that the body has embarked on a N200 million rehabilitation projects in the school and that they are in various stages of completion. Such projects includes; A decent administrative block completed, Library Block, at completion stage.SS 1 classroom block, at completion stage. SS 2 classroom block, at completion stage. Computer Block, at completion stage.
Others are laboratory block, at completion stage. Modern toilet facilities. A brand new Toyota hiace bus amongst other.
According to him, “Over the years, the Old boys had given scholarships to students for exemplary performance and various prizes at yearly prize and thanksgiving day.
“Hence, we seek your indulgence to use your good office and benevolence gesture that you are known with to see to these areas of needs: The perimeter fencing of the school for the safety of the students and to avoid land encroachment;Reconstruction of access road to the school from the main road which is about 800m, it is presently in a deplorable situation, building of school dormitories/ hostels for the school, like we have at our previous location. This will in turn encourage boarding system, provision of staff quarters for the teachers; and Repairs and renovations of the existing structures and facilities to complement the Old boys’ effort.
Attending to these issues above, will make the Golden Jubilee anniversary a pleasant occasion”, he noted.
Among members of his delegation were the association’s First National Vice-president, Otunba Jide Adebayo who was once Commissioner for Information in the state and National Secretary, Mr. Remi Afolayan.
Also on the delegation was a former Commander, Nigerian Army Ordnance Corps, Maj-Gen Yemi Abidoye (rtd), Prince Ayo Fagbemi, a retired permanent secretary in the state service and two current permanent secretaries in the state service, Messes Nasiru Ibrahim and Jubril Haruna.