Sokoto to Ensures Quality Control in School Projects 

Onuminya Innocent in Sokoto 

Sokoto State Government has warned School-Based Management Committees (SBMCs) to desist from executing substandard school projects, threatening to sanction any service provider found wanting.

The warning was issued by the Sokoto State Coordinator of the Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE) Project, Dr. Mansur Isah-Buhari, during an assessment tour of ongoing projects in Gwadabawa and Kware local government areas.

Dr. Isah-Buhari expressed disappointment with the quality of some Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) facilities being constructed, stating that the state government would not tolerate any substandard work.

The AGILE project, funded by the World Bank, aims to improve basic and post-basic education opportunities for adolescent girls in Sokoto State.

The state government has vowed to ensure that all projects meet World Bank standards, and any service provider found to be executing substandard projects would be sanctioned.

The development is part of the state government’s efforts to improve the quality of education in Sokoto State.

He noted that some service providers had been stopped and asked to regularize their work, citing instances where substandard materials were used, and toilets were irregularly placed.

The coordinator expressed satisfaction with the quality of work at some schools, including Government Girls Day Secondary School in Tambuwal.

The AGILE project consists of three main components: creating safe and accessible learning spaces, fostering an enabling environment for girls, and project management and system strengthening.

The project aims to improve school enrollment, especially among adolescent girls, by providing scholarships, instructional materials, and infrastructure.

A lead consultant on the project, Mr. Ruya Fadason, described the inspection tour as a necessary step to ensure quality execution of projects.

Fadason noted that SBMC members had been trained to manage funds and oversee school renovation and construction activities.

He expressed optimism that the project would lead to increased student enrollment, retention, and completion rates in Sokoto State.