Rural schools benefit from Bayelsa Education Fund’s water project

Nathan Tamarapreye, Yenagoa

Two public schools in Okpoama in Brass Local Government Area and Agrisaba in Nembe LGA have benefited from ongoing water facilities provided by the Bayelsa government.

The 9,000-litre projects were constructed through the State Education Development Trust Fund (EDTF) and partner non-governmental organisations in the quest to provide clean water as well as improve hygiene and sanitation in schools.

The community members, students and teachers at the schools in Okpoama and Agrisaba expressed gratitude to the government and the agencies for the water schemes.

At Okpoama, located close to Brass Island, off the Atlantic coastline, students at the Community Secondary School, Okpoama, put up a cultural performance to welcome guests and officials for the inauguration of the 9,000-litre water project.

Thereafter, a representative of the Chairman of the Okpoama Council of Chiefs, Chief Feboke Febo, Vice Chairman of the Community Development Committee, Chief Reuben Tom-Isele, the Youth President, Engineer Seiyefa Basuo and the Principal of CSS Okpoama, Dame Maria Tariye-Johnbull, all took turns to express their appreciation, promising to protect the facility.

 The partner organisation, Sustainable Partnership Initiative for Development, SPID, led by its Board of Trustees Chairman, Prof Prince Weigha, thanked the Okpoama community for its cooperation during the construction of the project, urging its leadership to protect the facility.

At Agrisaba, enthusiastic natives, students and staff of the Community Secondary School, Agrisaba in Nembe LGA were full of excitement with the CDC Chairman, Mr. Akari Akari and the Principal, Mr. Tari Oyadongha, conveying their gratitude for the water project.

Secretary of the partner agency, the Amasei Humanitarian Foundation, Mr. Richie David, noted that they faced no challenge from the community while installing the facility.

The Team Lead of the Bayelsa Education Development Trust Fund, Chief Nyanayo Tubo, emphasised that the EDTF decided to embark on the projects to provide potable drinking water for schools, stressing that about 20 schools out of the over 220 across the State have benefitted from the scheme in the initial phase.

Mr Monday Eke, Director of Exams and Records in the State Ministry of Education, formally inaugurated the water projects on behalf of the Commissioner for Education.