Saturday, 24 November 2012

Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State has approved the commencement of the second phase of mass rehabilitation of secondary schools and procurement of furniture across the state.

The governor has also directed that starting with the procurement of furniture and building of the classrooms, specific artisans should be injected into the contracts, so as to ensure that money circulated among the people of the state.

The second phase, whose approval was given by the state executive council, would involve 52 secondary school classroom buildings, while 10,000 pairs of students’ furniture would be procured.

The governor further directed that relevant professional bodies and associations of artisans such as carpenters, plumbers, painters, electricians, bricklayers and welders be involved in the projects so as to empower them and give them sense of belonging.

A statement issued by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media, Dr Festus Adedayo, said that the projects would cost government a sum of N516,948,357.39 with the rehabilitation gulping N358,948,357.39 and furniture N158,000,000.

Adedayo, who lamented the state of most of the state-owned schools due to neglect by past administrations, said that the rehabilitation exercise would bring a new lease of life into the affected schools and further aid the teaching and learning process.

However, unlike in the past, said the release, government had begun the process of injecting local content policy into the award of the contracts.

The first phase covered the rehabilitation of 35 school buildings which were in different stages of dilapidation and the procurement of 7,000 pairs of furniture.