PENNY WISE, POUNDS FOOLISH BY Anthony Okezi

Between 2008/9, I was in Katsina State for a compulsory one year N.Y.S.C assignment, then former President Yar'Adua was in power. Silent massive building of model schools were going on. As many that were commissioned under my nose, no public national figure was “flew in” with state scare resource to commission them. Rather, it was the Education Commissioner/Gov Shehu Shema that did all the commissioning!
Yesterday I could not but weep for Father Xmas Delta State when a Dana Airline was hire with a lavish ceremony to bring in Dr. Bamaga Turku from Abuja, just to commission a “MODEL” primary school in Asaba (I believe the cost of commissioning the school will be more than the cost of building the school).
I then asked myself what is the state trying to achieve in such a wasteful ceremony? Is building of primary now a“landmark” achievement? Or is Gov EEU trying to impress Dr. Bamaga Turku ahead of 2015? In all, I could not find a reasonable answer for such a waste of our common wealth! Why are we so wasteful in the management of public funds while there are other problems such as unemployment (this has thrown many of our vibrant youths into all sorts of social vices) and infrastructural deficits. I pray that US President Barack Obama will not be brought in to commission the gate of Delta State University Engineering Faculty!
2 hours ago · · Like · Report
2 people like this.
Atonuje Ajiri
Okezi, u shld knw by now dat it is Delta state style. Fun fairs, elaborate ceremonies dat are meaningless . Wastefulness of resources. Yet contracts dat did as little as a 1m to 5m can't be paid. We all knw is a joint tin with abt 17 states, remodeling of schools. Rivers state Gov Amechi embarked on remodeling of schools since 1st tenure. No noise president, vice president or whoevr were flown in a ceremonial kiniko to commission even 1. This same govt dat is preaching d gospel of no money let's borrow to manage is same dat embarked on frivolous ceremonies at time like dis? Hmmm
2 hours ago · Like
Nelson Egware
@Okezi, you have a point there but I still believe that the man came on a working visit to the state. Perhaps the Project commissioning was just one of the items in the itinerary.
1 hour ago · Like
Obaro Itewo
Flying in Tukur to commission ordinary Model school is just a misplaced priority. Rivers State have build more model school which are now operational without fanfare. If you build an Model Primary school and you are inviting a oil subsidy criminal like Tukur to come and commission it at the espense of the state, then what will happen when you build a University? maybe they will fly in Queen Elizabeth. The Delta state government should bury her head in shame. its obvious the State government is bereft of ideas and a zombie. make i sing fella song, "Zombie o zombie, zombie o zombie. zombie no go go unless you tell am to go, Zombie. Tell me to go there e, Dozia adoro ho...."