The Bayelsa Education Development Trust Fund (EDTF) has inaugurated water projects completed at two public schools in Yenagoa Local Government Area (LGA) of Bayelsa.
The current board of the EDTF is rounding off its tenure with inauguration of completed water projects by commissioning water projects across the eight LGAs in the state.
The benefitting schools are Model Primary School, Biogbolo/Yenizue-Gene and Community Secondary School, Polaku, both in Yenagoa LGA.
The water projects inaugurated at the weekend were executed by the EDTF in collaboration with two Non Governmental Organizations, Sustainable Partnership Initiative for Development, (SPID) and Ama Sei Humanitarian Foundation (ASHF), under the EDTF’s Water for Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) program.
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony ceremony at Community Secondary School, Polaku, Dr. Mrs. Alice Atuwo, the Executive Secretary of the EDTF said that the idea of introducing the WASH program in public schools was to address the challenges of lack of portable water at a time when water borne diseases and epidemics are prevalent in society.
She explained that the decision to embark on water projects in public schools was a deliberate response to the need to improve the overall standard of education in the state in pursuit of the EDTF’s mandate.
According to Atuwo, the board has fared well over the years as over 30 schools across the state have felt the impact of the EDTF by receiving a 9,000 litters capacity water project and 20,000 litters for Technical Colleges.
The Acting Chairman of EDTF board, Prof. Francis Sikoki while emphasizing the significance of the projects to both the benefitting communities and the schools, urged the host communities and schools to collaboratively maintain and safeguard the projects from possible vandalism.
Sikoki noted that both schools are privileged to be beneficiaries of government – funded projects of such magnitude.
The Paramount ruler of Biogbolo, HRH. Frank Amos, represented by Chief Basil Jonah and the Paramount ruler of Yenizue-Gene, HRH. Fanvie Maxwell, while thanking the EDTF, assured the board that the communities will, in a joint task with the school, ensure that the water project at Model Primary School Biogbolo/Yenizue-Gene is well maintained and sustained.
Dr Gentle Emelah, Commissioner for Education, represented by the Director, Planning, Research and Statistics Mr. Faith Ogbara, thanked the EDTF for its impactful interventions.
Expressing appreciation to the honours, Mr Osaikeme Nelson, Principal, Community Secondary School, Polaku recalled that he doubted that the project will be completed.
He pledged to ensure efficient use and sustenance of the project which has put an end to drinking from frequently polluted river.