•Alaghodaro 2023: Obaseki to tour, showcase projects to drive devt, prosperity in Edo
The Edo State Government has said it has renovated over 336 primary and junior secondary schools in the State, built over 200 blocks of classrooms, and renovated 202 others in the last 10 months, while several others have been pencilled down for remodeling.
The Edo State Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Chris Nehikhare, who disclosed this while speaking to journalists in Benin City, reiterated the government’s commitment to remodelling all primary and junior secondary schools across the three senatorial districts of the State, with priority on the welfare and wellbeing of the pupils and teachers under its State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB).
The Commissioner spoke in reference to a recent video on social media shot at a primary school in Ozalla Community in Uhunmwonde Local Government Area of the State.
Noting that the government was undertaking the remodelling and upgrade of all schools in phases, Nehikhare added that the school in the said video was among those already pencilled down for renovation.
He debunked claims that the school was abandoned and the pupils and teachers left to their fate and made to learn in poor conditions and dilapidated buildings, restating the government’s commitment to the welfare of pupils and teachers in the State.
Giving a breakdown of the work done by SUBEB in the schools this year, between January and October, he said 336 schools have so far benefitted, with 200 blocks of classrooms built, 202 blocks of classrooms renovated and 8,750 pieces of furniture (three seaters) provided for the pupils, while 600 sets of furniture provided for the teachers in the State.
He added, “Also, 41 new water projects and 210 new toilets have been constructed for basic schools, fences spanning 16, 010 meters in 13 local councils across 27 schools completed while the total number of mud schools demolished is put at 19, consisting 14 blocks of classrooms and 15 toilet blocks.”
Meanwhile, Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, would during the 2023 Alaghodaro Summit, lead Edo residents, guests and other stakeholders on a tour of the various developmental projects embarked on by his government over the past seven years that have improved the livelihoods of the people and placed the State on the path of sustainable and accelerated growth and development.
The tour tagged, “Ancient City Tour,” is part of activities lined up for this year’s summit taking place in Benin City between Wednesday, November 8 and Sunday, November 12, 2023.
The Alaghodaro Investment Summit in its seventh edition has the theme “The Edo Story: Creating Shared Opportunities into the Future.”
This year’s summit is the last edition to be celebrated under the leadership of the incumbent State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, and will bring together the country’s crème de la crème, including investors, government officials, business leaders, and other key stakeholders to spotlight and review impacts of the government’s projects and programmes on the people and envision a prosperous future for Edo State.
In a statement, the Planning Committee for the 2023 Alaghodaro Summit disclosed that the tour scheduled for Thursday, November 9, 2023, would showcase most of the developmental projects carried out by the Government of Edo State over the past seven years.
Some of the projects include the Edo Modular Refinery in Ologbo, Ikpoba – Okha Local Government Area (LGA); Ossiomo Power Plant in Ologbo, Ikpoba – Okha LGA; Edo Production Centre, Sapele Road, Benin City; Green Hill Farms in Ologbo, Ikpoba Okha LGA; the Edo College of Nursing Sciences, Benin City; the Stella Obasanjo Hospital, Benin City and the Edo GIS Office on Sapele Road, Benin City.
