By SADIQ ABUBAKAR, Maiduguri –
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. Gen. Tajudeen Lagbaja on Tuesday commissioned a block of classrooms in Zajiri area of Bolori II community of Maiduguri metropolis and a solar powered industrial Borehole at Jiddari Polo community of Maiduguri City.
The COAS, who also donated classroom desks, text and exercise books, writing and other instructional materials, said the gestures were part of the projects set aside by the Nigerian Army to consolidate on the civil military relations in commemoration of the COAS Annual conference 2023, having recognized the significance of education and water supply in the areas.
Lt. Gen. Lagbaja said the projects were initiated in collaboration with the community leaders to ascertain the immediate needs of the people which the Nigerian Army could assist and complement the efforts of the state government in some selected LGAs of the state.
He said : “The projects are also to show our appreciation to your support and cooperation during our operations in the state.
“So, to commemorate the COAS Annual Conference, we selected some projects quickly and invested as a way to give support to the communities. This Junior Secondary School is one of such projects. This block of classroom is because we are important partners to most of the school and we are looking forward into standing by my words as a good example of the level of investment that the board must be committed in education as the funds that have been groove back to the society. So, as we give this, lot of students are back to school this morning, and want to sit down and I feel that this is your project.
In his remark, the Borno State Commissioner of Education, Innovation and Technology, Hon. Abba Lawan Wakilbe, commended the Nigeria Army for their social responsibility programme in the state.
He said: “The World Bank RPE report put the number of destroyed classroom infrastructure in the state to 5000. In 2021, the World Bank published the number of out of school children to almost 1.8 million. Emergencies cannot be classified as a disaster or exceeds one’s coping capacity with all that has been done, or needs to be done.
“So, this project is indeed a very wonderful one that means a lot to us, it means more children can come into the school not only in this location, but for other locations.The Nigerian army has rehabilitated schools.
“Since I have been given this unique opportunity, let me commend the four categories of soldiers in our country. Number one those who pay the ultimate price for us to be here today.
” Number two brigade commanders and various battalion commanders of the Nigerian army in numerous formation around the state who suffer a lot when there is a c for opening a new school. I among many appreciate the efforts put in place by the Nigerian army to see that schooling returns for these locations, and tribal police commanders. Good to see, I wish to say a very big thank you to the Nigerian Army Corps. of engineers.
“Army Corps education is also one very big ally, absorbing the numerous orphans we have. This insurgency has left us with 56,000 orphans roaming the camps. As a government we have absorbed about 10,000. but more needs to be done.
” And indeed, this is a great feat. I want to thank the Corps commanders that are running the various Army Command schools”, he said.
He also appealed to the COAS to provide more projects in the area that will have direct impact on their life while praying for success and progress for the COAS and senior officers of the Nigerian Army in the discharge of their responsibilities.
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