SAN FRANCISCO, August 25, (THEWILL) – The Borno State Government has embarked on a move to boost children enrolment in schools in the state by offering to pay parents who encourage their children to go to school on a continuous basis.
The move, according to the state governor, Alhaji Kashim Shettima, is to make children of school age enroll in school, especially those in the Northern part of the state which has witnessed a great drop in enrollment in Western education as a result of Boko Haram indoctrination.
The governor, who made the offer when he met with elders and residents of Bama- GRA community, also disclosed that all the over 800 block of classrooms in schools destroyed by Boko Haram insurgents, will be renovated.
Shettima, who said he still remained a part of the community having resided there for many years before he became the governor and had to move to the Government House, maintained that the increasing case of poverty orchestrated by lack of access to education is what led to the prevailing insecurity in the state.
He said his visit was to interact with the people on how best government will render assistance to the area, stressing that the construction of community gates in the area, which is the first of its kind in the state, and the installation of solar streetlights in the area, is to reduce the rate crime in the community.
Shettima said very soon, every community in Maiduguri metropolis will have gates to be manned by the youth vigilante youths who will be given monthly stipend to provide security in their areas.
The governor also promised that by next week, the state government will mobilise contractors to site to begin the construction of a new primary and Islamic school, mosque and the drilling of boreholes to network the community.
“I want to appeal to the people of this community and Borno in general, because there has been a decline in the mode of service to mankind by previous administrations which led to the neglect of providing dividends of democracy to the people, but I want to assure you that we will inculcate the culture of good governance and commitment to the socio-economic development of the state,” the governor said.
In his response, the Chairman of Bama- GRA Residents Community, Ambassador Ahmed Yusufari, expressed gratitude to the governor  for the visit and for his commitment to the plight of his people.
According to Yusufari, since his assumption into office as governor, Shettima has addressed the lingering issues affecting the community such as fencing and installation of gates and streets solar lights, drainage and roads construction, water shortages in the community by drilling and rehabilitating some of the dilapidated boreholes in the area, noting that such gesture will remain memorable in their lives, as no government has ever done such to them.
He therefore pledged the unflinching support of his people to the Shettima-led administration in the state to succeed in developing the state, even as he prayed God to fully restore peace back to the state.
