From Esther Akaa, Lafia
Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) Ahmed Bola Oduleye Charity (ABOC) Foundation and Silifat Abdullahi Sule (SAS) Foundation have donated 10, 000 exercise books to 1,560 pupils across the 13 local government areas of Nasarawa State to support education in the state.
Wife of Nasarawa State Governor, Hajiya Silifat Sule, who preformed the flag-off of the distribution on Friday in Lafia, stated that the gesture was intended to assist the state government in providing high-quality education, particularly at the primary level.
Hajiya Silifat represented by the founder of ABOC foundation, Ahmed Oduleye Ahmed Oduleye, who stressed the importance of education for the growth and development of the state, said her foundation and the ABOC foundation have committed to providing exercise books to help students in primary schools across the state learn to read and write.
According to her, education was top priority of Governor Abdullahi Sule’s administration, calling on other NGOs to support the governor inorder to develop the education sector for growth and development of the state and country at large.
The governor’s wife congratulated the management and pupils of the benefiting schools and charged parents to take the education of their children seriously.
“I equally call on teachers of the various schools in the state to impact knowledge on the children as they are the future leaders of tomorrow.
“I also call on other NGOs to rise up to the challenge of educational support and parents should ensure that their female children go to school,” she added.
Also speaking, the Chief of staff to the founder of ABOC foundation, Kefayat Oduleye said it was the responsibility of individuals and NGOs to invest 8n education inorder to give hope to the children.
“The government can definitely not do it alone, and that is why I’m calling on all well-to-do Nigerians to join us in the fight against the global economic crisis by investing in education and the people.
“We need to provide scholarships for students, supply them with learning materials, and create jobs and entrepreneurship skills for the youth,” she said.
She said that ABOC Foundation, was committed helping the poor families in terms of their needs, giving out scholarships, and distributing reading materials to school pupils and called for more collaboration from other development partners.
On his part, Executive Chairman,Nasarawa State Universal Basic Education ( NSUEB), Alhaji Muhammad Dan’Azumi represented by the board’s secretary, Hajiya Hasiya Ahmed, expressed gratitude for the gesture, saying that it will go a long will in impact on the lives of the pupils.
He said that Governor Sule was uplifting the standard of education in the state and had already funded the state courtpart fund for the year 2023 and commended him for the giant strides recorded in education especially basic education in the state.
Earlier, the State Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Hon. Ibrahim Angbolo represented by the deputy director in the ministry, Mallam Shehu Ibrahim, said education was a way forward and urged all stakeholders to invest in the education sector for progress of the state and country at large.
He, therefore commended the donors for the gesture and called for its sustenance.
