A melodrama ensued on Tuesday in Makurdi when some pupils were spotted sitting on the floor while receiving lessons at UBEC Primary School located within the premises of Arabic Primary and Secondary Schools, Makurdi.
The school is located a few meters away from Government House.
Governor Samuel Ortom, accompanied by some executive council members, security and media men, had gone round the state capital to inspect some projects being executed by his administration.
On getting to the premises of Arabic Nursery and Primary School, he had also proceeded to inspect the secondary session which housed the UBEC school.
It was, however, discovered that while government had spent huge amount of money to provide infrastructure as well as study materials, chairs and tables were not effectively supplied to the schools forcing some pupils to sit on the floor during classes.
Ortom who was visibly angered by the site expressed displeasure and directed the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), to immediately provide desks and chairs for the pupils.
“I have said it and am repeating it that I don’t want to see any of our children sitting on the floor to receive lessons.
“We have directed that SUBEB should take action immediately that all desks and chairs be provided for primary schools in the state capital first and later they will reach out to other local governments.”
The governor who explained that his administration is committed to upgrading of facilities in primary schools in the state said he was trying to get a counterpart fund of N1.6 billion to make up N3.2 billion for primary schools projects.
“Out of that, we are going to provide desks and chairs again to upgrade our primary schools,” he said.
Speaking to journalists after the inspection, Ortom said that the insistence of the President, Muhammadu Buhari, on open grazing will soon trigger chaos, anarchy and lawlessness in the country.
He reiterated the stand of the Benue people to resist any move to impose open grazing in the state saying “those advising the president are doing him no good because the president insistence on open grazing will only bring chaos, anarchy and lawlessness.
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“For some of us, particularly in Benue State, there is no room for open grazing, so also the land use act is a constitutional issue, the act vested the ownership of land on governor who holds it in thrust for the people.”
He, therefore, advised the president to rescind his decision on open grazing stressing that the Northern and Southern governors as well as National Economic Council (NEC), had at one time or the other condemned the open grazing.
The Governor inspected the Government House office building which has been under rehabilitation, the headquarters of Benue Internal Revenue Service, (BIRS) office, the 9.6 kilometer Apir-Tse-Poor road among other projects.
