The Edo State governor, Monday Okpebholo has uncovered thousands of branded notebooks that were donated by President Bola Tinubu to Edo State pupils and students during the last administration of Godwin Obaseki.
He made the allegation while he was supervising the distribution of notebooks, and other instructional materials on Monday at the New Era College in Benin City.
The College was formerly known as special school for young people involved in sporting activities. It was built by late Dr Samuel Ogbemudia, the then Governor of Old Bendel State and remodelled by Governor Adams Oshiomhole.
The Governor who ordered the distribution of the books across the 18 Local Government Areas of Edo State, described the act of hoarding the books as an act of wickedness.
Dr Paddy Iyamu, the Edo State Universal Education Board (SUBEB) Executive Chairman and f former member of the House of Representatives for Oredo Federal Constituency, Hon. Omoregie Ogbiede-Ihama were amongst.other top government functionaries who were present of News Era.
“Obaseki deprived Edo children of using these books provided by the President of Nigeria, Ahmed Bola Tinubu, and was stored away from the reach of Edo children”, according to Governor Okpebholo.
He said, “These books you see here were donated by the President of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu for use by Edo children, but Obaseki refused to distribute the books to our children because the President’s face is affixed.
“I want to thank the President for his kind gesture, and for me, the action of the former governor, Godwin Obaseki, is an act of wickedness.
“This warehouse is filled with books donated by the President of Nigeria, but because of the wickedness, he prevented the books from being distributed to the children. Today, we are here to distribute the books to our children.
“This is New Era College at the centre of the City. You are here. See for yourself the rot in the system. We just entered a classroom where our children were taught sitting on the floor. This is the kind of Edo Basic Education Sector Transformation (EdoBEST) programme
Godwin Obaseki brought to Edo children.
“I am here with the SUBEB Chairman and I am giving him an instruction to put all the modalities on the ground for the commencement of the reconstruction of this school. This school is for Edo children
“Obaseki refused Edo children the use of these books provided by President Bola Tinubu, but he could not provide seats for the children to sit comfortably while learning. The action of the former governor is an act of wickedness of the highest order”, he said.
“Is coming back to renovate the school, and in the next few weeks, you will start seeing transformation in this school in terms of reconstruction”, Okpebholo said.
Continuing, he said, “We have gone round to look at the facilities and structure of the school, and it is in a serious state, desiring attention, and the Governor failed to develop the State and the school. It is not acceptable”, he said.
“Keeping these books away from our children is wickedness, and his actions were wrong. He said he has developed the education system using Edobest, but what we see here today is not best for our children.
The Executive Chairman of SUBEB, Dr Iyamu, said the Governor gave a matching order for the books to be distributed across the 18 Local Government Areas of Edo State and that the order will be carried out strictly.
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