Makurdi – Gov. Samuel Ortom of Benue has warned contractors handling projects for the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) to deliver within stipulated period of three months or face sanction.
He also warned against shoddy jobs and diversion of contract funds, stressing that those caught doing that would be handed over to relevant security agencies for prosecution.
Ortom gave the warning on Thursday in Makurdi while flagging off some projects under SUBEB in the state.
He said that the state had accessed N7.6 billion intervention funds, after paying its counterpart funding, for the construction of facilities in primary and post-primary schools across the state.
He assured that “with that amount at our disposal, the government will transform basic education in the state.
“We will provide instructional materials, build boreholes, renovate and build new structures in all our schools.”
The governor said that his administration was focused on projecting basic education in the state to become a model for other states.
Earlier, the Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Prof. Dennis Ityavyar, had commended the governor for his foresight in making basic education a priority in his administration.
He advised parents to mobilize their children for mass registration in September at the commencement of the new school session.
In a welcome address, Chairman of Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) in the state, Mr Michael Yiase, advised the government to place the welfare of teachers above provision of infrastructure.
He warned that if nothing was done to improve the welfare of the teachers, the classrooms and facilities would be empty.
Also speaking, Chairman of SUBEB, Mr Samuel Ker, commended the governor for the payment of N3.8 billion counterpart funding that enabled the government to access the education intervention fund.
He said the funding covered between 2012 and 2016 and assured that the board would support the administration to achieve its targets in the education sector. (NAN)