RSG to Out Source Management of its New N3b Model Sec. Schools

By Blessing Wikina - Ag. Chief Press Secretary to the Governor

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

The Rivers State Government says it has plans to out-source the management of the model secondary schools being built by the state government for effective administration.

Governor Chibuike Amaechi who disclosed this during the inspection of the site for the building of a Model Secondary School, in Port Harcourt Local Government Area, said the state is engaging an Indian firm for the management of these schools.

Governor Amaechi, who said the state was negotiating with the firm on the cost per student as government will have to pay for each student’s fees, appealed to Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) who are financing the construction of the model school in Port Harcourt, to hasten work on the project, so that all the new schools take off at the same time.

The Governor further ordered the demolition of all illegal structures within the school site and directed the State Commissioner for Lands and Survey to value the affected property for payment of compensation to their owners.

Governor Amaechi who charged the contractor to fastract work on the N3billion school project to meet the state governments target in education reform programme, promised to provide adequate security for the contractor to do his job.

Earlier, the SPDC project leader handling the school project Mr. Uche Nwabuoku, appealed to the state government to address the issues of security and illegal occupants at the site which, he said, was affecting the pace of work at the site.

Mr. Nwabuoku reaffirmed SPDC’s commitment to achieve the state governments policy in education, assuring that they work committedly to ensure that the structure was delivered on time.

Meanwhile, the state governor has ordered the contractor handling the Okuru/Ojimba/Oba Igbikiri Okirika road, awarded by the Niger Delta Development Commission NDDC to stop work, to enable government correct perceived irregularities on the site.

The inspection tour also took the governor to the construction site of the new Okujagu/Woji bridge and road project under taken by JDP at Okuru Ama junction.

It would be recalled that Governor Amaechi had last week signed the Rivers State Prohibition of Extortion Law No. 5 of 2010, which prescribes a 3 years jail term, without option of fine, for any body who disturbs constructors and property owners on site.