Nasarawa Assembly decries building of residential houses, shops on schools’ premises

The Nasarawa State House of Assembly Committee on Education has decried building of shops and residential houses in the premises of some primary schools in Keffi Local Government Area of the state.
The Chairman, House Committee on Education, Science and Technology, Mr Daniel Ogazi, made this known on Thursday while inspecting selected school projects in the local government area.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Abdul-Zanga, Nurudeen and Islamiya primary schools, all in Keffi Local Government area were encroached by people building houses and shops on their land.
Ogazi said that the building of shops and residential houses within the school premises constituted distraction, which had been affecting learning and teaching.
He said that the committee would not hesitate to advice the appropriate authority to demolish such illegal structures within the school premises.
The lawmaker therefore urged the State Universal Basic Education Board to adopt an effective supervision of all the ongoing school projects to ensure quality work by contractors.
He said that the state legislature would reject any substandard building and roofing materials used by any contractor.
Ogazi advised contractors handling such projects to ensure that do the work was done according to specification.
He said: “The committee will continue to embark on its oversight functions to ensure that quality work is done by contractors to justify government’s huge investment in the education sector.
“We are not going to fold our hands and watch contractors or anybody to sabotage the efforts of government in improving the standard of education.
“We will reject any substandard job in the interest of the education sector and the overall development of the state.”
The committee chairman reiterated the commitment of the legislators to the enactment of people-oriented laws that would fast track the development of the state.
NAN reports that other schools inspected by the committee include Pilot Primary School, Shitu Alao Barracks, LGEA Primary School Gitata and LGEA Sabo Gari, all in Keffi Local Government Area.