The Edo State Indigenous Contractors Forum has condemned a trending video of the poor state of a school, called Osaretin Primary School, in Uhunmwode Local Government Area of Edo State. They described the trending video in social media space as the handiwork of political detractors to create an impression that all public schools’ infrastructures in Edo state are in a bad state.
A statement issued by Edo State Indigenous Contractors, signed by HENRY OKPAMEN, Chairman, Friday Emuze, General Secretary and Osayande Okoro Igbe, Public Relations Officer stated that the video intended to malign the Edo State Government and the State Universal Education Board (SUBEB).
While appealing to the general public not to succumb to political distractors whose stock in trade is to stoke political tension and pressure for personal and selfish interests. The Indigenous Contractors Forum called on all good loving Edolites to continue to support Governor Godwin Obaseki and the present leadership of SUBEB to continue to deliver on their assignment.
“What was the intention of the promoters of this material? Was it intended to draw the attention of the government to the poor state of the school for intervention or to create an impression that all public schools’ infrastructures in Edo State are bad?
“From our analysis of the said video, we are compelled to believe that they intended to malign the State Government and the State Universal Education Board (SUBEB). If this was not the case, a comprehensive report of at least the present state or condition of the other Schools in Uhunmwode Local Government Area should have been conveyed in the video to enable members of the public to have balanced information which will help them to make an informed decision.
“But this was not the case. We, members of the Edo State Indigenous Contractors Forum waited this long to react because we needed to ascertain the veracity and authenticity of the video and its content to enable us to respond appropriately.
“We can authoritatively confirm that the said school contained in the video is actually in Uhunmwode Local Government Area and the School has about 90 pupils. At the time the video was filmed and released; pupils were on holiday and were not expected to be in school. There is evidence that there is ongoing construction work going on in other schools in the area and it will eventually get to the school.
“The video also reveals that the pupils were wearing different School uniforms which shows that the architect of the video may have assembled these children from their homes during the holiday, and lumped them together on the floor to achieve a predetermined objective.
“As critical stakeholders in the construction industry in Edo State, we are abreast of the level of intervention by the present Board in the development of public schools’ infrastructure across the state. The present Board under the leadership of MRS EYITAYO OZAVIZE SALAMI, on assumption of office in 2022, inherited about 350 school buildings that were being constructed and were at different levels of completion, precisely between 30-40 percent
“On assumption of office, she quickly addressed all the issues that were responsible for the delay in the completion of these 350 School buildings. These were then completed and handed over to the benefiting school management for use.
“In 2023, the Board rolled out another 350 school buildings for construction and renovation. The award letters for these new 350 school buildings were issued in February 2023 and by June/July 2023, the board recorded about 75 percent completion rate.
“Presently about 95 percent of the projects are completed. This is the first time such a feat has been achieved in the Agency because of several new initiatives introduced by MRS SALAMI and her team, among which was an efficient and professionally inclined Project Management Team (PMT) that ensured timely and quality delivery of these projects.
“The point we are trying to make here is that as indigenous contractors who are interested in ensuring that our people get the best services, we are witnesses to the constant and sustained intervention of the Authority concerned in public school infrastructure.
“We must not also forget the huge gap in infrastructure deficit in our public schools occasioned by successive government neglect over the years, poor maintenance culture and of course vandalization by hoodlums. To address the issue of vandalization of school infrastructure, the present Board introduced some reforms and presently, the new blocks of classrooms windows and doors are made of steel plate while the Black Board or white Board has been replaced with a more complex and durable one.
“These new school buildings are across the eighteen local governments of the state and are verifiable as they are visible for eyes to see. Below are Schools that benefited from the recent intervention by MRS SALAMI’s led Board in Uhunmwode Local government area, through the engagement of Edo State Indigenous Contractors.
“ASE SCHOOL, OLD BENIN AUCHI RD, ILOBI Primary School, ILOBI, OGBE Primary School, EHOR, OSAZUWA Primary School, EHOR, UWA MODEL Primary School, IKHENIRO, OGIESOWMAM Primary School, EKHUA, IGULAHOR Primary School, IGUOMO and Modern toilet facilities have also been built in several schools across the state complemented by the construction and installation of water facilities. ASE SCHOOL also benefited from this.
“While we understand the fact that several schools or communities are yet to benefit from this ongoing intervention, quite a sizeable number have benefited and those yet to benefit, of course, are next in line.
“From our engagement with the SUBEB Chairman, MRS SALAMI, since assumption of office, we can tell without hesitation that her doors are always open. We therefore advise members of the public to take advantage of this open-door policy by bringing all relevant information requiring her intervention to her attention,” the statement added.
