Community petitions Niger Assembly over relocation of FG model school

A member representing Bosso Constituency in the Niger State House of Assembly, Hon. Malik Madadaki Bosso, has confirmed the receipt of a petition by some constituents from Makunkele Community in Bosso Local Government Area of the state over the relocation of a model school awarded by the Federal Government to the local government, by the incumbent executive chairman, Niger State Universal Basic Education Board , allegedly in conjunction with the permanent board members of the board, after about N100 million had been spent on the construction site.

The model school was awarded by the Federal Government through the Universal Basic Education Commission.

Hon. Madaki stated that the petition was addressed to the Speaker of the assembly, Rt.-Hon. Abdulllahi Baea Wise, and “the petition was sent through my office and I will be presenting it before the state house of assembly in our next sitting by God’s grace.”

A youth leader from Makunkele community, Mallam Adamu Dada, confirmed the development, noting that the project started since September 19, 2019 by the Federal Government. He decried its “arbitrary relocation” arguing that “the new site cannot even accommodate the planned project of such magnitude.”

But the SUBEB chairman in an interview with the Nigerian Tribune in his office said it was not a deliberate plan to relocate the ‘Special School’, arguing that the state government, in collaboration with the board, had agreed to build 20 high rise classrooms for the same Makunkele community.

He further explained that no fewer than six hectares of land is required by SUBEB’s standard (for such projects) but that the board has only about 3.8 hectares of land, in Makunkele leaving a balance of 2.6 hectares; while between 3,000 and 5,000 students and about 200 teachers, with the addition of non-teaching staff, would have to relocate there. This he said would not be easy.

Adamu also described as laughable, the claim by the petitioners that over N100 million have been expended on the project so far.

Investigation by the Nigerian Tribune, however ,revealed that Niger State government might have relocated the UBEC model school situated on the outskirts of Minna, the state capital, due to political reasons.