Post Insurgency: Shettima Set Education as Priority in Borno's 2017 N183 billion budget

Shettima Set Education as Priority in Borno's 2017 N183 billion budget 

‎... Capital projects take over 60%

 

Gov. kashim Shettima
Executive Governor, Borno State. 

Borno State Governor, Kashim Shettima on Wednesday announced the highest allocation of N33 billion naira for the reconstruction of schools destroyed by Boko Haram insurgents and fresh construction works across educational institutions as Borno State budgets N183 billion naira for the 2017 fiscal year.

Tagged “Budget of CONSOLIDATION, RESTORATION & REBIRTH' the Appropriation bill allocated N124 billion representing more than 60% while N59 billion was allocated for recurrent expenditure. A total of N183,840,489,081.00 was budgeted for the year. ‎The Health sector trailed education with N19b, while Reconstruction, Rehabilitation and Resettlement got N13b with Agriculture trailing them with the allocation of N7b.

Speaking at the chambers of the Borno State House of Assembly in Maiduguri, the Governor said education was worst hit by the attacks of Boko Haram maintaining that his administration is taking a major step to fix education in the State. 

‎"Education is the sector which captures our attention the most.  It is the area that has suffered the worst onslaught of the insurgency. Our experiences have shown that its inadequacy could be risky and its neglect could also be a recipe for insecurity even in the future. It is for this reason that the education sector alone excluding the primary level is allocated the sum of N33 billion for primary schools, secondary schools and tertiary schools. The amount allocated is to enable us continue with the reconstruction, rehabilitation of the educational infrastructure and facilities at the secondary and tertiary levels. Furthermore, the huge budgetary provision is also to enable the full take-off of our newly recognized State University in 2017 and ensure that more facilities and structures are put in place to obtain accreditation of all courses in faculties billed to take-off during the year. Most Primary Schools in the Local Government Areas hitherto occupied by Boko Haram were completely destroyed, the Universal Basic Education Board is to undertake reconstruction of all primary schools, renovate existing schools, supply most needed educational materials and of course feed the  primary school pupils  across the State and provide more furniture to enhance teaching and learning at the primary school level" Shettima said. 

The Governor announced that his administration's determination to take full advantage of emerging peace to change the fortunes of the State.

No NYSC Corps Member was killed by the Boko Haram in Borno in the last Five Years - Gov Shettima

Gov. Shettima visit Borno NYSC camp holding in Bauchi...

Governor Kashim Shettima inspecting a guard of honour mounted by members of the Batch ' B' 2016 members of the National Youths Service Corps, NYSC, posted to Borno State at College of Education, Kangere in Bauchi, venue of their ongoing orientation camp when he visited them ‎on Tuesday. 

Shettima in Bauchi: 'No corps member was killed by Boko Haram  in Borno' 

... Says former Minister insists daughter serves in Borno 

Borno Governor,  Kashim Shettima on Tuesday addressed 1,387 graduates of the Batch 'B' 2016 members of the National Youths Service Corps, NYSC, posted to Borno State but currently undergoing weeks of orientation at the College of Education, Kangere, 20 kilometers away from Bauchi town. Shettima told the corps members that whereas some of them may be planning re-deployment, he assured them of their safety, declaring that in the last five years, no single corps member was killed by the Boko Haram insurgents in Borno State". 

The Governor told the corps members that whoever serves in Borno under his Government would have one his or her best moments as a graduate. The Governor also said that a former Minister, whose identity wasn't disclosed, had insisted that has persuaded his daughter not to seek re-deployment out of Borno. 

"The late Mahatma Gandhi said, 'the best way to find yourself, is to loose yourself in the service of others'. I was reliably informed that amongst you here, there is a daughter of a former Minister, posted to Borno like all of you. The former Minister, I am told, said to his daughter, 'I love you so much but I want you to serve this country in Borno State where you have been posted because service to our country requires sacrifice. If everyone re-deploys from Borno, what happens to the people of Borno who have suffered so much and need to be supported?'. I want to thank that former Minister and appreciate his patriotism. I assure you all of your security insha Allah. No corper was killed in the last five years. We will give you the best of secured accommodation, we will give you extra allowances, the NYSC can bear testimony to how we support corps members posted to Borno. Also, there are many international partners from the UN, local and International NGO's operating in Borno, these are additional avenues for many opportunities you can also have to develop your potentials. I served in Calabar, the Governor of Bauchi State who is here with me, served in Port Harcourt. The whole essence of NYSC is for us to move out of our comfort zones to know our country, to build bridges that can last our lifetimes and to give back to our countries" Shettima said. 

The Governor who passionately sang the NYSC anthem ‎to the amazement of the corps members announced donation of food items that included dozens of cows, 100 bags of rice, beans and other ingredients. 

Earlier, the State Coordinator of the NYSC in Borno State, Alhaji Lawwal Turawa ‎thanked the Governor of Bauchi State, Barrister Mohammed Abubakar for relocating the corps members from an initial camp in Bauchi which had problems, to the College of Education, Kangere, which he describes as very convenient for the orientation. 

Our correspondent reports that corps members posted to Borno, Yobe and Adamawa States  had held successive camps for swearing-in, orientation and passing- out- parades in different States based on decisions by the NYSC headquarters in the last 3 or 4 years due to security challenges in the northeast. After camps, some corps members seek re-deployment while many others report to their respective States of initial posting in the northeast.