Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji has approved the payment of a whooping sum of N3, 554,642,584.46 as counterpart fund for execution of 2024 UBEC/SUBEB intervention projects.
This is coming at the heels of the bid opening ceremony signaling the commencement of the 2023 similar projects.
The approval was also upon the payment of an equivalent amount by the Commission as Federal Government Statutory Allocation of the UBE matching grant to the state.
The Executive Chairman of the state Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Prof. Femi Akinwumi in a statement, disclosed that the approval was a bold step by the governor towards providing conducive teaching and learning environment for public primary schools across the state.
According to him, Governor Oyebanji has within the last two years of his administration paid the UBEC/SUBEB counterpart funds for 2022 and 2023 matching grants apart from other landmark achievements of the governor in the basic education sector.
He added that other unprecedented development for the sector include procurement and distribution of instructional materials to enhance teaching and learning, employment of several teaching and non-teaching staff, construction and renovation of classrooms, training and retraining of teachers and provision of ICT equipment for the schools.
Prof. Akinwumi stated further that the approval of Governor Oyebanji to pay the counterpart fund would continue to strengthen the state’s collaboration with UBEC for execution of more developmental projects for enhancement of basic education and effective delivery of UBE programme.
He re – echoed the determination of the board to ensure the speedy and successful implementation of the 2023 projects so that those of 2024 can follow almost immediately, stressing that the governor having fulfilled his part would be anxious about the early completion of the projects according to specifications.
Prof. Akinwumi while thanking the governor for his passionate interest in the development of basic education in the state urged the successful bidders in the on – going 2023 UBEC/ SUBEB projects to comply strictly to the UBEC guidelines, the federal and state procurement acts for timely and efficient delivery of their contracts.
He also charged the teachers and other education stakeholders to be more proactive in the dissemination of their duties to ensure that the huge investment of the state government on education is not a waste of the state’s scarce financial resources.
