Emmanuel Ikpeama.
The Kogi State Government has commended the Henry Adetayo Foundation, led by Engr. Adebayo Mike Arayegbemi, for the reconstruction of Community Secondary School, Oke Agi, in Mopamuro Local Government Area of the state.
The government also called on private individuals, organisations and other stakeholders to partner with the administration in its efforts to improve educational infrastructure across the state.
The Commissioner for Information and Communications, Kingsley Femi Fanwo, gave the commendation on Wednesday during an inspection of the newly reconstructed school, describing the project as a remarkable demonstration of responsible citizenship and a worthy investment in the future of the community.
Fanwo said the state government was proud of the Foundation for undertaking a project capable of making a lasting impact on education in Oke Agi and neighbouring communities.
According to him, the administration of Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo is committing more than 30 per cent of the state’s expenditure to education, but government alone cannot address all infrastructure needs across the state.
“This is an example to others. As part of the integrity of public communication under Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo, we have never claimed that all schools in Kogi are beautiful.
As a government, we are rebuilding our schools and remodeling many others.
“We need many private individuals like Engr. Adebayo to support what the government is doing. He didn’t make videos of the bad state of the school to bring down its image. He simply rebuilt it and turned it into a model for others to emulate,” Fanwo said.
The Commissioner noted that the growing involvement of individuals and non-governmental organisations in public development reflected the confidence in the Ododo administration’s commitment to good governance and responsible management of public resources.
He listed ongoing school reconstruction and remodeling projects in areas including Adaakolo, Nagazi and Okebukun, saying the interventions were helping to restore confidence in public education.
Fanwo assured the people of Oke Agi that the state government would seriously consider taking over the management of the reconstructed school.
He said the Ministry of Education, under the leadership of Commissioner Hon. Wemi Jones, was already working towards integrating the facility into the state’s educational system.
The reconstructed school comprises nine blocks of classrooms, four administrative offices, laboratories, a library, a computer laboratory and a hall for external examinations.
Investigator news reports that the facility is also equipped with a solar power installation designed to provide electricity to the school around the clock.
As part of his support for the students, Fanwo pledged N1.75 million in scholarships and communication gadgets to assist learning and improve educational opportunities for the beneficiaries.
In his remarks, the Danayangun of Oke Agi, HRH Oba Joshua Are, thanked the Commissioner for inspecting the facility ahead of its official commissioning later in the year.
Oba Are expressed the appreciation of the entire community to Engr. Adebayo and the Henry Adetayo Foundation for the intervention, noting that the project was about 99 per cent completed.
Investigator news gathered that the Commissioner was accompanied during the inspection by government officials and political leaders from Mopamuro Local Government Area.
