Governor Peter Obi of
Anambra State last Tuesday said the state government would spend N12.5 billion to make the education sector more attractive before the end of his tenure.
Obi, who presented the cheques in Awka, said that it was part of the government’s “final push’’ in the achievement of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) to further develop the state.
“The system must change. The children are the future leaders we have and you, the teachers are paying a prize now to train the children of other people, God will do the same to you,’’ he said.
According to him, N5 billion each will be spent on each of the eight MDGs programmes in order to ensure a secure future for the children of the state.
He said that the state government would employ 4, 000 teachers, 2,000 each for primary and secondary schools as well as 2, 000 civil servants before the end of 2013.
Obi added that a separate account had been opened for the payment of the 6,000 would-be workers till December, 2015.
The governor also gave out N1.94 billion cheque to the public primary schools for the provision of instructional materials and infrastructure in the state.
Obi also said N1.5 billion would be injected into agriculture, while 510 primary and secondary schools across the state would receive a bus each.
According to him, government will provide each nursing school with N200 million while seven new fire fighting trucks and stations will be provided for new areas.
“We are giving the cheque today because we know that education sector drive and make things better for us because we want Anambra to work,” Obi said.
He also donated a bus to the Association of Primary School Head Teachers of Nigeria, Anambra chapter, and also pledged to take 21 best headmasters or headmistresses, one from each of local government.
In his remarks, the Executive Chairman of Anambra State Universal Basic Education Board (ASUBEB), Mr Olisa Nzemeka, commended the governor for the gesture and assured that the money would be judiciously spent.
“It’s been so well with us from this administration, especially in the provision of infrastructural development of schools in the state,’’ he said.
In his remarks, the National Chairman, All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Chief Victor Umeh, praised Obi for his prudence in managing state funds.
He said the state had had it so well from the APGA government, stressing that Obi had released over three billion naira in the last two days for the development of primary schools.
Earlier, the Commissioner for Education, Dr Uju Okeke, commended the governor for the gesture and said that school pupils had been performing well in national examinations.
Okeke urged parents, traditional rulers, presidents-general of communities and other stakeholders to visit schools and monitor how the monies were spent with a view to giving reports where necessary.
The Commissioner for Local Government, Mrs Azuka Enemo, who also spoke, emphasised that Obi gave schools to mission to revitalise and inculcate moral values in children.
“As a result of his visionary leadership, the governor identified education as a solution to the social vices that had hitherto bewildered our society.
“He has been able to improve our education sector, and I urge you people to support continuity by electing a responsible successor,’’ Enemo said.