By Stanley Onyekwere
The FCT Minister, Barrister Nyesom Wike has flagged off the accelerated rehabilitation of dilapidated structures in no fewer than 19 FCT schools.
Performing the flag-off yesterday, at the School for the Gifted, Gwagwalada, Wike explained that providing access to education without also putting in place structures that promotes quality education amounted to not providing education at all.
He revealed that the schools’ rehabilitation will he funded from the 2023 Supplementary Budget, while another 20 will be rehabilitated later this year from the recently passed FCT 2024 budget.
Recall that the FCT Administration had in January, 2024, announced that it was committing the sum of N13.1 billion for the renovation and rehabilitation of 40 schools, under the accelerated whole-school rehabilitation approach.
Also, the whole school rehabilitation approach was designed to rehabilitate entire school infrastructure and facilities, including toilets, hostels, dining and provision of furniture and water.
Wike said: “ Today, we are here to flag-off the rehabilitation and reconstruction of 19 schools. These 19 schools is based from the Supplementary Budget of 2023. I want to assure you that for 2024 Budget, we are also going to select another 20 schools for rehabilitation and reconstruction.
“It’s the mandate of Mr President that we must not only sponsor education, we must also take health. I can assure you that now that the budget has been passed, we will come back to Gwagwalada for the General Hospital and make sure you are given the best.
“Let me assure the contractors that nobody will be owed. I made sure that before I left the office, I had made sure your mobilisation was sent to the bank. I have told the treasury that woe betide anybody who sabotages the effort of this present government lead by President Tinubu.”
Earlier, the Minister of State, Dr Mariya Mahmoud, while appreciating the FCT Minister for his doggedness in achieving the Renewed Hope Agenda of Mr President, noted that the minister has been to Gwagwalada Area Council thrice, this year, to deliver the dividends of democracy to the people.
Mahmoud opined the current administration is poised at improving infrastructure development and so the team will be back again to provide infrastructural development in the health sector.
On his part, the Mandate Secretary for Education, Dr. Danlami Hayyo, stated that the rehabilitation work was an indication that the administration is not only focused on construction of roads, but also investing in the future generation through Education.
He recalled that only recently, the minister approved over N280million scholarship to fresh indigent students in the FCT.
Not left out, the contractor in charge of the project, Engr. Osondu Ekwekwe, while congratulating the minister for the giant strides achieved in the FCT, appreciated him for remembering the FCT School for the Gifted, Gwagwalada.
Ekwekwe noted that the school was in urgent need for an intervention, as most of its facilities were dilapidated and a far cry from what what a school should be.
From an assessment by the contractor shows that about 16 classroom blocks were completely dilapidated, while the school’s 1.8 kilometer perimeter fence had collapsed, leaving the school accessible to herders and other invaders.
“The school is currently not conducive for learning and habitation. Most of the students defecate in the open due to the absence of toilet among other amenities.
“ You have to hold your breath if you go to the back of the classrooms because the students defecate in the open. Most of the classroom blocks are completely dilapidated.
“Let me assure you, Honourable Minister, on behalf of the contractors handling other rehabilitation work at other schools, that we will deliver on this project on time”, the contractor assured.
As at the time of filling this report, it was gathered that the 19 contractors had taken possession of site and work has commenced across the 19 schools pencilled down in the first phase of the accelerated whole-school rehabilitation project.
