Sokoto levies contractors to fund ICT, skill acquisition centres

Sokoto State Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal has said that for every contract awarded by the state, one per cent of the total contract sum will be set aside to fund the state’s Education Development Trust Fund.

The focus of the fund, already established under the headship of former President Shehu Shagari, is to facilitate the development of information and communication technology in Sokoto schools, training of women on vocational trades, skills acquisition training and disbursement of bursaries to indigent youths.

Others include revamping of girl child education, development of education policy framework, training of teachers and provision of critical infrastructure to complement government efforts in that direction.

A statement issued by Tambuwal’s spokesman, Malam Imam Imam, said the Governor spoke when he granted audience to the British High Commissioner in Nigeria, Mr. Paul Arkwright, who came on a courtesy visit.

According to Tambuwal, revamping of the education sector remains a key priority of his administration.

“We are working with all stakeholders to build on the gains recorded in the state in the immediate past. But to be honest, we are all worried about the negative statistical indices with regards to health and education in Sokoto State.

“We will work closely with development partners and the UK government to revamp the sector. Specifically, we seek your help in the training and retraining of our teachers and the development of girl-child education.

“On our part, we are doing all that is necessary to achieve success. Already, we have introduced monetary incentives to mothers in rural areas to allow their daughters go to school. With your help, we will expand our areas of cooperation for the benefit of the people,” Tambuwal said.

In his remarks, Arkwright said the UK government had been supportive of the Muhammadu Buhari administration in the areas of security, trade and investment, education and health.

He said the UK’s Department of Foreign and International Development had been working in Nigeria to support key sectors of national life.

On Tambuwal’s request for training of teachers, the envoy said the British Council will come in to see how best they would collaborate to revamp education in Sokoto State.