Oyo govt needs N70bn to rebuild education sector – Makinde

Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo state on Sunday said his government would need between N60 Billion to N70 Billion to rebuild the infrastructure in the state’s education sector.

Governor Makinde revealed this while commissioning several projects facilitated by old students at Government College Ibadan.

Makinde said about N60billion to N70billion is required to overhaul and transform all the infrastructure in the state’s education sector.

He however commended the efforts of the Old Boys Association of the school since the inception of his administration, noted that the government alone cannot solve all the challenges in the education sector and that well-meaning individuals, old student associations and others should team up with the government.

He assured that the state government will continue to support the Government College Ibadan Old Boys Association to lift the standard of education and equally restore the old glory of the school.

He said most of the projects executed by the GCIOBA are not for the benefit of their children or immediate family but for the next generations of those who will attend the school.

He, therefore, called on other old students’ associations not to forget their alma maters by contributing to the growth of their institutions and education in the state through various projects to complement the efforts of the state government.

Makinde said: “Let me first of all use this opportunity to appreciate the Government College Ibadan Old Boys Association. Since I came in four years ago, we have worked together to lift the standard of education in Oyo state and to restore the old glory of the Government College Ibadan.

“I have been coming here every year to commission projects. So, I will call on other old students, you know some of these things that they are doing, I said to them, they are not for them and perhaps not even for their children but they are concerned about the next generations.

“I will ask other old students associations not to forget how they came to the dance floor in the first instance, they should remember their alma maters and do something for them.”

The projects commissioned by the governor and facilitated by the Government College Ibadan Old Boys Association were a state-of-the-art 3-in-1 court for basketball, volleyball and handball, a refurbished and restored library and two separate technical education workshops for metal and wood donated by Central Bank of Nigeria in support of technical education.

On the entourage of Governor Makinde were the Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (South), Ambassador Taofeek Arapaja, commissioners and other top government functionaries.