Delta Govt Sets Aside N1.5b For Universal Basic Education

Delta State Government on Tuesday approved for release the sum of N1.5 billion for the 2019 counterpart funds for the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC).

Charles Aniagwu, State Commissioner for Information, disclosed this  shortly after a meeting held in Asaba, the Delta State capital.

He said the approval was one of the decisions taken at the meeting which was presided over by Governor Ifeanyi Okowa.

According to Aniagwu, the meeting also approved the establishment of one primary school and one secondary school in Asaba to increase access to education by children in the capital city.

Flanked by the Commission for Youths Development, Mr. Ifeanyi Egunyanga, Aniagwu told journalists that to ensure that projects are executed in accordance with approved scope and specification, a project monitoring unit was approved by the council.

He said the project monitoring unit will be headed by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Project Monitoring.

Aniagwu lamented the deplorable nature of federal roads across the three senatorial districts of the state, and appealed to the Federal Government to prevail on the contractors that were awarded with the contracts to fix the road, to mobilise back to site.

The commissioner specifically made reference to the Asaba end of the River Niger Head Bridge on the Benin-Asaba- Onitsha highway and the various failed portions on the Benin-Sapele-Warri expressway.

He said the state government could not intervene to remedy the failed portions as a result of an existing contract which the Federal Government claimed to have awarded.

He said the present administration is desirous of expanding the job creation scheme across different frontiers.

On his part, Mr. Egunyanga said about N1.1 billion has been earmarked for the 2019/2020 work plan for the state job creation office.

Photograph in this story: Delta State Commissioner for Information, Mr. Charles Aniagwu (middle); Commissioner for Youth Development, Ifeanyi Egwuyanga (right) and the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor of Delta State, Mr. Oliseh Ifejika, during a Post Exco Briefing, held in Government House Asaba. Photo; JIBUNOR SAMUEL.