By Dada Ahmed in Lokoja
Effort by the Federal government to establish a Federal Science Technical College(FSTC), Ogugu in Kogi state has received the endorsement of the state government which handed over the site for the project to initiator.
The Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Mr Wemi Jones, represented Gov. Yahaya Bello at the handover ceremony on on Tuesday in Ogugu, Olamaboro Local Government Area of Kogi.
The correspondent of The Reporters,an online publication, reports that the new FSTC is being sited at the 49 years old Ogugu Community Secondary School (OCSS), said to be the oldest secondary school in the Northern region of Nigeria.
Bello congratulated the entire Kogi State for the achievement, particularly the people of Ogugu communities for being the most favoured, saying Federal presence had come to Ogugu land.
Speaking in his capacity as the education commissioner, Jones thanked the Federal government for the laudable initiative, and extolled the governor for his detribalised nature in locating the FSTC at Igala land and praised the people of Ogugu for their show of love in accepting the offer.
The Commissioner promised that the State Government would provide the road network, electrification and pipe borne water, with full retirculation within the college.
He, however, implored the host communities to cooperate with the government by ensuring adequate security for students and staff of the college as well as protect and maintain the facilities in the school.
”The new college is your legacy, and you are the only one who can take proper care of it; it is your own.
”His Excellency is irreversibly committed to taking education to the next level in Kogi State, through diverse education reforms.
”The governor had said that 20 per cent of the state budget will go to education sector, henceforth, for the remaining years of his administration.
”We are open to advice, suggestions, constructive criticisms and collaboration from every quarter at all times,” he said.
Earlier, the Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, noted that the establishment of Science and Technical Colleges across the country was aimed at promoting the acquisition of technical and vocational skills among the Nigerian youths.
Adamu, who represented by one of the ministry’s Directors, Pastor Kola Osundeyi, said there were 21 FSTCs across the federation with 16 States yet to benefit.
He added that President Muhammadu approved the establishment of 16 new FSTCs in three phases, beginning from 2020 to 2022, saying that Kogi was one of the six states earmarked to benefit in the first phase in 2020.
The Minister explained that Kogi Government earmarked Ogugu Community Science School, Olamaboro LGA, as the site for the new FSTC in Kogi which had been assessed and approved by the federal government.
He urged the State Government to continue its positive collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Education in the actualisation of the FG’s desire to transform education in the country.
Adamu further urged the State Government to “kindly” provide additional facilities that would enhance the environment and make it conducive for teaching and learning to take-off in the college.
In their goodwill messages, the Ejeh of Olamaboro, HRH Simeon Ujah; and the Acting Ochogwu of Ogugu Land, Chief Salifu Emmanuel Ojonugwa, both commended the Federal and State Governments for the gesture, saying they were very happy and elated.
They specifically thanked the governor and his deputy, Chief Edward Onoja, for the gesture toward their LGA while commending all the stakeholders who contributed in one way or the other to the reality of the great achievement.
The Ejeh of Olamaboro urged the pioneer principal of the new college to put in his best and also carry the community along, while assuring him of the total support and commitment of the traditional council and the entire Olamaboro LGA.
Ujah urged the communities to ensure they really round the principal for the success of the school.
Contributing, the President of Ogugu Development Union (ODU), Mr Enemona Anyebe, expressed happiness over the development.
”We considere ourselves very lucky as communities to be the the beneficiaries of the gesture from the Federal and State Governments.
”Our children will have opportunity to study science and technical courses in the school and for people from all over the federation to come into our community.
”As communities, we are assureing the federal and state governments that we will play our role to ensure the success of the new college”, Anyebe said.
The Pioneer Principal of the new FSTC Ogugu, Mr A.P Idowu, promised to “pursue, uphold and maintain good school community relationship for the overall development of the college, now and in future.”
He urged parents and guardians to enrol their wards in the school.
