Sen. Smart Adeyemi (APC Kogi West) and a House of Representative aspirant for Ijumu-Kabba/Bunu Federal District, Mr. Mike Olobatoke and others have lamented over the decay in education infrastructure in the country.
They spoke at the 27th Iyara Day Cultural Carnival and inauguration of N100 million Education Development Fund for Iyara, headquarters of Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State.
Adeyemi stressed the need to address infrastructural deterioration in almost all sectors including education, saying the deplorable state of infrastructure was not acceptable.
“We should pray that the economy improves so that government can meet the needs and aspirations of the people,” the Chairman, Senate Committee on Aviation said.
“I’m doing all I can to attract some dividends of democracy. It’s unfortunate that Nigeria is passing through a very hard time.
“Let nobody deceive you, Nigeria is having serious economic challenges, very serious ones I must confess to you and that explain why the Federal Government is taking so much loans.
“But the good thing is that I can see the loans being targeted at providing infrastructural facilities which will help to create wealth, increase productivity and provide basic infrastructural facilities that will help in accelerated socio-economic development.
“And, I think that is something commendable. We may have to endure a while,” Adeyemi said.
Adeyemi, who announced a donation of N5 million on behalf of himself and friends whom he said could not attended the event because of the APC State Congresses.
He further pledges to supply 30 computers to the schools in the community and listed some efforts he had made to attract projects to his constituency.
Speaking, Olobatoke, an Abuja-based businessman and Chief Executive of McESSON Properties Limited, regretted the collapse of educational infrastructure in the constituency and expressed sadness that government had failed to fulfil its obligations to the people.
Olobatoke, who is also an aspirant of the PDP for the federal constituency, however, called on communities nationwide not to leave the development of education in the hands of the government alone.
“A lot of us cannot go back to the primary or secondary schools where we finished from because of the deplorable condition of their infrastructure,” he said.
The business mogul, who donated N1 million, said that infrastructure development should not be left for governments alone.
”I like what Iyara community is doing to uplift its education system.
“Therefore, I am calling on everyone here today not to leave the business of education development to government alone but to help in the rehabilitation of their Alma Mater.
“Communities have to rise to salvage our education system. I am here today as the Chief Launcher not because I am rich but because Iyara community is doing what I believe in,” he said.
Earlier, Alhaji Aliyu Badaki, President of Iyara Development Movement (IDM), said that the community had observed that infrastructure in their educational institutions were in deplorable conditions that did not befit teaching and learning.
“The Iyara Community has continued to contribute its quota to salvage these educational institutions that are dear to us and the future generations,” he said.
“Unfortunately, we are oblivious of the sad reality that government alone cannot meet all the development needs of the society.
“It may interest you to note that the building and maintenance of many of these schools were largely the results of communal efforts by our parents.
“These community efforts have continued till now to help salvage these institutions from imminent comatose. Unfortunately, our community efforts have largely been a drop in the ocean.”
Dr Corneille Karekezi, Chairman of the occasion and Group Managing Director of African Reinsurance Corporation, commended Iyara for their initiative to support education and donated the sum of three million naira.
Karekezi said he cherished what the Iyara was doing to improve the lives of its people and pledged to always be a part of what the community is doing to promote the standard of education.
Mrs. Folashade Joseph, Managing Director, Nigeria Agricultural Insurance Corporation also an indigent, commended the initiative of her hometown to improve education infrastructure.
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Joseph, who donated N2.5 million on behalf of her friends, family and herself, also pledged her continued support to development of her country home at every call.
The 2021 edition was used by the community to showcase their rich cultural heritage and traditions as well mobilize funds for community development.
