By Joy Odor
Senator Isah Jibrin, representative Kogi East has called on the Federal Government to facilitate the completion and hand over of Junior Girls Model Secondary School Odu-Okpiyegede in Dekina LGA to Kogi state govt as he bemoaned on the importance of girl-child education in Nigeria.
According to him, the federal government in September 2014, commenced the process of establishing the Junior Girls Model Secondary School Odu-Okpiyegede in Dekina LGA in Kogi state.
The Lawmaker affirmed that closing the gap in education and ensuring that more girls are educated is essential, not only for building a just society but also a pre-requisite for sustainable development.
Senator Isa who made the call in his motion titled: “Urgent Need for the Completion of the Junior Girls Model Secondary School Odu-Okpiyegede in Dekina LGA of Kogi State” in Abuja on Wednesday.
He lamented that the contract for the construction works was awarded to LAMCO Nigeria Limited through the Kogi State office of the Sustainable Development Goals and completed in June 2016, adding that despite the efforts of the Federal government, no attempt has been made since 2016 to ensure commencement of the academic activities in the Junior Girls Model Secondary School.
Senator Isa narrated that some of the existing structures and facilities in the Junior Girls Model Secondary School. Has started dilapidating hence the need for the federal government to complete the project and ensure take-off of academic activities of the school.
He recalled that the fourth World Conference on Women, held in Beijing China in 1995 identified the persistent discrimination against the girl-child and the violation of her rights as one of the 12 critical areas of concern and requiring urgent attention by the government and the international community.
Senator lsa also pointed out that the World Bank report revealed female adult literacy rate for Nigeria at 59.4 percent in comparison to the male adult literacy rate of 74.4 percent hence the need to boost the chances of girl-child in accessing education in Kogi.
In his conclusion eafter much debate on the motion, the Senate President, Senator Ahmed Lawan enjoined the Senate Committee on Appropriation to liaise with the Federal Ministry of Education to make provision for 2023 budget for the completation of junoir girls model Secondary School Odu– Okiyegede in Kogi State.
