Nation
Plateau Begins Grants Distribution To Schools, Girls
Plateau State Government has commenced the distribution of $1.9 million as School Improvement Grants (SIGs) to 300 schools in the state.
It is also distributing about N183 million as Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) to more than 18, 000 female students in junior and senior secondary schools in the state.
The intervention is under the Federal Government project of Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE), supported by World bank, designed to improve secondary school opportunities for young girls.
Inaugurating the exercise last Friday at Government House, Jos, Governor Simon Lalong thanked the Federal Government for the initiative, saying , it would address gender gaps in school enrolment for girls and other children.
According to him, the programme would restore hope to young girls in the state who had dropped out of school due to lack of funds for fees, cultural hindrances to education, or inaccessibility of schools in their immediate community.
“It is necessary to commend the World Bank for extending this funding partnership to Plateau State, shall see us eventually benefitting from a total sum of $3,972,000 in scholarship and infrastructure expansion.
He congratulated the beneficiaries of the project and urged the students to make their families and the State proud, to encourage more future interventions and improved standard of education.
The Governor said he would not tolerate any act of corruption, manipulation and abuse in its implementation from all parties saying, “anyone found in breach will not be spared”.
Presenting the project overview, the Coordinator of AGILE in Plateau, Mr Saje Adeh, said the project would include the construction of 35 junior secondary schools, 20 new secondary schools across the state’s 17 Local Government Areas.
He added that small grants would be distributed to 609 public junior and secondary schools while large grants would go to 347.
The official said 289 junior and senior schools would benefit from life skills, and 80 Senior Secondary Schools will benefit from digital skills and remote learning.
“For the first phase , 49 schools will receive $8,000 each, 109 schools will receive $12,000 each , 142 schools will receive $16,000 each.
He said more than 9,000 students in JSS1 would receive N10,000 each and 6,094 students in SS1 will receive N15,000 each.
Earlier, the Commissioner for Secondary Education, Mrs Elizabeth Wapmuk had urged Plateau people to embrace the programme for its success, saying it would have multipliers effect in developing other sectors of the state.
Responding on behalf of beneficiaries, the State Chairman of All Nigeria Confederation of Association of Principals of Secondary Schools, Mr James Dimlong, assured the Governor of the judicious use of the resources by the beneficiaries.
Grants were distributed to Government Girls‘ Secondary School, Japal, in Pankshin Local Governmwnt Area (LGA): Girls Science Secondary School, Shendam, and Government Junior Secondary School, Obene, in Bassa LGA.
The Movement for the Survival of the Izon Ethnic Nationality in the Niger Delta (MOSIEND) has called on the Management of Niger Delta Development Commission NDDC to embark on the water projects in Buguma city in Asari Toru Local Government Area, Rivers state
The Group called on the Rivers state government to revamp the Buguma fish farm to create employment for the teeming youths
On the water project in Buguma, MOSIEND said the population of Buguma has increased tremendously as the residents need more water projects to enhance the daily livelihood of the people
The Group also appealed to the Chairman of the council to assist in making the project a reality and attracts more developmental projects to the city
This call was on Rhythm 93.7 FM Port Harcourt, Radio program, Talk of the Town, by MOSIEND Eastern Zonal Coordinator of MOSIEND Half Hour Comrade Tammy Bruce Longjohn alongside Mark Ojuka,Chairman of Buguma and Hon Sandra Owunari JP Chairman Obuama and monitored by our correspondent
Comrade Ojuka also called on the Management of Liquidifed Natural Gas NLG to embark on a free medical outreach in all Kala bari communities to improve their health status
He appealed to LNG to award scholarship to indigens of Kalabari communities in tertiary institutions to better their education, noting the company is doing same in Bonny, abandoning Kalabari communities
“We need contracts, free medical, scholarships and employment including skill acquisition programs for our teeming youths in Kalabari extractions ”
On Security, Mark Ojuka said security in Buguma is at zero level with the help of the Ama Ma soldiers the city is more peaceful and investors friendly as the youths of area have cordial relationship with the security agencies in the area
“Security is very secured in Buguma clan”
He called on the Rivers state to revamp the Buguma fish farm to create employment for the teeming youths
“The youths are asking for human capacity building in the area to reduce unemployment”
“The revamping of the Buguma fish farm will also reduce youth violence”
Also Speaking, Eastern Zonal Coordinator of MOSIEND Half Hour Comrade Tammy Bruce Longjohn called for more improve in infrastructures in Kalabari community, especially in electricity
There is little improvement in terms of electricity in Buguma city
He decried the deplorable condition
of Buguma Health Centre, saying that the hospital is near functional
“Our sisters that are pregnant and our sick parents can not access the health centre for a better treatment ”
Describing the Health Centre as an eye saw, he called on Rivers state government and Buguma Local Government chairman Hon William to improve on facilities in the centre and make it more medically accessible to the sick persons in the area
Buguma, Tammy Bruce said is the spiritual headquarter of Kalabari people as such deserve more modern facilities from the government to improve lives
The Coordinator called on government, stakeholders and oil companies to assist and improve the poor infrastructural facilities in area
“We need first class hospitals, qualified medical doctors and nurses in the health centres and hospitals”
On the oil spilled in Obuoma Chairman MOSIEND Obuoma, Hon Sandra Owunari said the spill destroyed their crops and Rivers even polluted their only source of drinking water
She expressed displeasure that Rivers state government did not send any relief materials to the people in the affected community
On Chieftaincy title to women in Obuama, Hon Sandra Owunari said the community do not install Chieftaincy title to women, saying that Chieftaincy title is only reserved for men only in the community
CHINEDU WOSU
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