Governor Willie Obiano has continued to give shape and form to the promise of CONTINUITY which he made to Ndi Anambra during his gubernatorial campaign days as following the precedent set by his predecessor, he doled out a total of N1.9 billion, Friday, to Mission Schools in the state for the 2014 Universal Basic Education projects.
The ceremony which took place at the Women Development Center, Awka attracted the leaders of the two dominant churches in the state – the Catholic Church and the Anglican Church who mobilized members of their congregations en-masse to grace the occasion.
Out of the total sum, N433 million was given to the Catholic mission and N300 to the Church of Nigeria Anglican Communion while N1.082 billion is in the custody of Anambra State Universal Basic Education Board for funding public primary and junior secondary education. Governor Obiano said the fund allocated to each mission was based on the number of schools that government had returned to them. He confirmed that funds released to the Church by his predecessor were judiciously utilized which encouraged his administration to sustain the policy.
The governor further explained that the fund would be used for the provision of infrastructure and furniture in the benefitting schools and restated his government’s commitment to delivering functional education, adding that there were already considerations on how to accommodate Pentecostal schools.
Governor Obiano also disclosed that the state government had started paying twenty percent of basic salary to teachers in the rural areas and three thousand naira to teachers that handle core subjects. He announced that physically challenged persons and junior students of technical schools are now on state government scholarship. He stated that the state government has upgraded infrastructure at the school for physically challenged persons at Isulo; provided internet facility in schools; is building perimeter fencing in boarding schools and training marshals to assist in maintaining security in schools.
The Commissioner for Education, Professor Kate Omenugha said the fund beneficiaries had secured approved work plan and that the utilization would be subject to monitoring and evaluation processes.
Most Reverend Christian Efobi, Archbishop, Province on the Niger, described the emergence of Governor Obiano as God’s answer to the prayer for sustenance of good governance in the state, noting that the implementation of his pillars of development would make Anambra a model state.
Catholic Archbishop of Onitsha, Most Reverend Valerian Okeke represented by Monsignor Basil Onwuasomba said the Governor’s performance was indicative of his resolve to make a difference in the lives of the people.
