Governor Godwin Obaseki of the Edo State has said he would not share government funds meant for the development of the state with a handful of individuals who are trying to blackmail his government.
Governor Obaseki said this, on Wednesday, at the graduation of a new batch of teachers under the Edo Supporting Teachers to Achieve Results initiative, nicknamed ‘Edo STAR.’
According to a statement made available to journalists, the initiative is an arm of the Edo Basic Education Sector Transformation programme, known as ‘Edo-BEST.’
The statement quoted Obaseki as saying that he was not alone in pursuing sustainable development for the state.
He said, “I want to assure you that my party (the All Progressives Congress) is solidly behind me. I am not standing on my own. So, ignore what you are reading in a section of the media.
Those are people who want me to give them the money I should be using to train our teachers, provide for our children and develop the state.
“I will never give our people’s money to them.”
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The governor said his administration was determined to use the resources in the state for development, especially in the education and health sectors.
We do not have all the money in Edo State, but whatever we have, no matter how little, will be used to prioritise education and health care.
“What is important to us are things that affect the ordinary Edo citizens. Those are the things the APC and I stand for,” Obaseki said.
The governor said the digital teaching and learning system deployed in public primary schools in the state would be replicated in private primary schools to ensure that no child was left behind.
He commended the graduate teachers for successfully completing the programme, saying their training would improve learning in schools.
At the event, the Executive Chairman, Edo State Universal Basic Education Board, Dr Joan Oviawe, said teachers who participated in the 27-day training were trained in digital teaching and learning.
She said they were subsequently presented with certificates, smartphones and tablets to improve learning in primary schools.