The Government of Kebb State has earmarked the sum of N6.5 billion for renovation of primary and secondary schools and supply of furniture.
Gov Nasir Idris disclosed this at the opening ceremony of National Executive Council Meeting (NEC) of National Union of Teachers (NUT) held in Birnin Kebbi on Monday.
NUT is holding its NEC meeting in Kebbi in honour of one of their own, Gov. Nasir Idris.
The state governor is a comrade to the core, who rose from NUT State Chairman to National Treasurer to National President and concurrently served as Deputy President, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) before his emergence as governor.
The governor added that the present administration had also purchased books worth N2.7 billion to be distributed to students free-of-charge.
“I am the happiest person today, I have cause to thank God because people who understand the importance of education are here in Kebbi.
“I am happy to inform you that Kebbi is operating free education system to give room for all to access formal education. We have improved the boarding school feeding to enable our students stay in their respective schools,” he noted.
In an effort to curb brain drain, the state government had reviewed medical doctors renumeration to be at par with that of the federal government.
Idris recalled that his administration had procured 520 trucks of fertilisers and distributed same to farmers free-of-charge, adding that 10,000 tillers, 10,000 solar powered pumping machines were also purchased and distributed to farmers.
In his speech, the NUT President, Mr Audu Titus-Amba, said: “We are in Kebbi, our second home. Your Excellency, here are members of your second constituency, your first constituency is Kebbi State and your second constituency is NUT.
“Most of our members have been hearing that their former president is the governor of Kebbi, today they have seen you and they are happy to see you.
“We want to use this medium to thank you for what you have done to NUT which we are enjoying today. I am short of words to express my internal happiness.
“The legacies you left behind is still there, one of which I am enjoying today, if not for the elongation of period of service, I wouldn’t have been here today, I would have retired since.”
Titus-Amba described the emergence of Idris as governor of Kebbi as devine and a blessing to the state.
While thanking him for elevating six teachers to the rank of Permanent Secretaries, the president observed that the people of Kebbi did not make a mistake of electing teacher to be there leader.
Dr Halima Bande, Commissioner, Ministry for Basic and Secondary Education, represented by the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Alhaji Abubakar Magaji-Na-Yelwa, said union leaders were better leaders in education.
She applauded the governor for making education one his topmost priorities by spending billions of Naira in the sector and urged him to sustain the tempo.
Earlier, the acting State Chairman of NUT, Alhaji Usman Koko, appreciated the governor for being an education and teacher-friendly governor, who recorded tremendous achievements in just less than two years.
