By Emuji Magnus
In pursuance of good governance, every responsible government needs to genuinely focus in all sectors of the economy designed as strategic measures to improve the living conditions of the people by impacting positively on their lives.
To this end, Delta State Government under the leadership of Senator (Dr) Ifeanyi Okowa articulated series of measures to put the sector in the pedestal of enviable growth. His administration's achievements in the sector to great extent is quite commendable and worthy of emulation even though it's performances in the roads, job creation and health, especially in the area of the Contributory Health Insurance Scheme is unprecedented and which template other states May need to adopt in order to add value to their health sector in tandem with the stronger Delta mantra of his administration.
Under his administration, it is on records that several schools were given a face lift with the renovation of class room blocks, knowing fully well that globally, every developed society is largely depended on the level of its educational growth and development.
Conscious of the fact that education sector in the state require qualified teaching professionals with a view to relaunch the sector to its lost glory, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa recently employed about 1000 teachers so as to bridge the gap that may have in one way or the other, inhibited the expected results in the sector as the state is poised to continue to play a leading role in Nigeria in virtually all spheres. This initiative is intended to ensure effective and efficient teaching and learning . In all ramifications, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa appreciates the importance of investing in the education sector.
Another giant strides his administration had recorded in the education sector is the approval for the establishment of 19 technical colleges in each of the Local Government where non was existing which inadvertently, adds much value to the quest for job creation and self reliance through skill acquisition. The food thing about this initiative is that it would in turn serve as an antidote for employment generation as well as the youths becoming employers of labour, thus assisting government to absorb the teeming youth who are job seekers.
However, Adonte an agrarian community in Aniocha South Local Government Area of Delta State is one of such rural communities that are begging for government's attention. The two public schools : Adonte Mixed Secondary School and Aniga Primary school, obviously requires rehabilitation of their decaying structures such as the classroom blocks and provision of desks for conducive learning activities by the pupils and students of the schools.
Established in 1980 during the defunct Bendel State, Adonte Mixed Secondary School and Aniga Primary school are facing numerous challenges ranging from shortage of teachers, lack of water, power supply, science and computer equipment among others. Owing to the fact that Adonte is a rural community most of the teachers posted to the schools often time seek reposting to cities.
The ugly trends has left the leaders of the community with no other options than to engage Ad-hoc teaching staff who they usually pay for services rendered.
Against this backdrop, the community is appealing to the state government to put it in consideration when deploying the teachers, recently employed by transferring at least minimum of fifteen teachers in relevant subjects to the schools in Adonte community in order to boost learning and teaching activities in the area.
Recently, the roofs of twelve (12) classroom blocks were damaged by rainstorm. In view of the foregoing, the community is appealing to the state government to come to its aid by renovating the destroyed facilities so that their children could carry out their learning in a conducive and befitting environment.
Adonte community had been engaged in aged long community development approach. The community leverages on the opportunity of development partners to impact on its people. For instance, the leadership of Adonte community, a couple of years ago keyed into the Community -driven development initiative of the World Bank/European Union and Delta State Government through which the community was able to implement it's choice project which is the earth grading of their old road, linking Ogwuashi -Uku.
The President -General of Adonte Development Union, worldwide, Mr. Joseph Ifeanyi Okonmah and the Secretary -General, Mr. Presley Uzoamaka underscored the importance of education to the state and nation building and the community in particular. The duo explained that their people who were predominantly farmers passionately appraise the value of education , thus the need for them to leave an enduring legacy for the present and future generations of their children by ensuring that their children accessed quality and sound education.
While commending the State Governor, Senator (Dr) Ifeanyi Okowa for the unprecedented socio-economic and infrastructural development across the state , the President -General and Secretary of Adonte Development Union, Mr. Joseph Ifeanyi Okonmah and Mr . Presley Uzoamaka respectively congratulated the Governor for the tribunal's affirmation of his election victory. They described it as a true reflection of the wish of Deltans, irrespective of political affiliations to join hands with Governor Okowa to build a greater Delta.
Mr. Ifeanyi Okonmah and Presley Uzoamaka particularly stated that since the rainstorm rendered havoc on the roofs of 12 classrooms in the community, effective teaching and learning had been stalked, adding that the state government should expedite actions towards ameliorating the sufferings of their children go through as a result of the unfortunate natural disaster.
They lauded the policy direction of the state government in the education sector, saying that in no distant time, Delta would continue to be a reference point to other states, even as they commended the State Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Chief Patrick Ukah for his dogged approach towards taking the education sector to enviable heights.
Speaking to journalists, the President -General of Adonte Development Union, Asaba branch, Mr. Godwin Adigwe and Secretary , Mr. Perry Nzeagwu, said that the community was in dire need of government presence, adding that most of the structures and infrastructure were in their schools were aging, just as they decried lack of a functional science laboratory in the institutions. They said that they require 200 chairs and tables in their schools.
On his part, the Programme Director of the Ambassadors for Development and Aids Initiative, Mr. Chuks Okpunor identified lack of commitment among teachers of nowadays to their responsibility of moulding characters and future leaders, absence of remuneration and incentives for hardworking workforce among them by the government as factors militating against the sector over time and called for a reorientation among them for the overall well being of the society especially the grassroots populace. Mr. Okpunor, who called for all stakeholders in the sector to be proactive and contribute their quota to enhancing the growth the sector,not only for the state but the country at large in line with the international best practices , appealed to Governor Ifeanyi Okowa to draft more science teachers to Adonte community.
Mr. Okpunor also called on the state government to assist the community with the provision of staff quarters and provide infrastructure like power /electricity supply, pipe borne water and other basic amenities in order to make the schools attractive for teachers to stay. He urged the teachers to consider the future of the society and show more commitments to their career.
While emphasising that the teachers should see it as a thing of joy to impact on the children through the right teachings which would translate into a better society, devoid of violence and crimes, the Ambassadors for Development and Aids Initiative Programme Director, called on good spirited individuals, corporate bodies and financial organizations to invest in the education sector and to come to Adonte community.
Speaking further, the Ambassadors for Development and Aids Initiative Programme Director maintained that the organization was a non - governmental organisation that works in synergy with institutions and development partners to promote the socio -economic well being of the citizens through Special Intervention in the Agro -Business Investment Scheme. Mr. Okpunor, who applauded the job and wealth creation programme of the Okowa administration, stressed that the organization's objective intertwines with the SMART agenda of the state government.
''Our project is in line with the government social investment interventions and wealth creation for prospective beneficiaries (farmers) in the Agro -business sector with specific feature of 95 percent funding by financial partners with 9 percent interest per annum. The project is designed to eliminate all economic risks to the beneficiaries (farmers) funding partners and the anchor firm (buyers), generate income and maximize profit '' , Mr. Okpunor stated.
Mr. Okpunor, who also hails from Adonte community appealed o the State Commissioner for Water Resources Development, Rt. Hon. Martin Okonta, to incorporate his community's request for the provision of standard boreholes in the community in the 2020 ministry's budget to cushion the effects of the rigours their people go through in search of clean water as their only source of water which is stream in where they trek 5km to get water.
The students and pupils were not left out as they also lent their voices, calling on the state government to intervene in their school. According to master Chigozie Okonmah , a primary six pupil of the Aniga Primary School, Adonte said they need government to carry out the repairs of their schools.
Governor Ifeanyi is a pragmatic and focused leader with the interest of Deltans at heart and who is not only aware of the place of prioritising education in any governance and the burning desire to provide a conducive environment for teaching and learning, but would as part of his policy direction, ensure that every part of the state gets its fair share and who knows the turn of Adonte might be imminent.
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