The
Oyo State Governor Abiola Ajimobi has said the proposed stakeholders meeting on
public-private participatory management of some public secondary schools in the
state will still go ahead despite the opposition it has attracted from labour
unions.
The
chairman of the state chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Waheed Olojede,
and six members of the congress are presently detained in Agodi prison after
they were arrested and arraigned for disrupting the meeting to discuss the
return of schools last week.
The
union members were charged with seven counts and remanded in prison last week.
Ajimobi,
who spoke while addressing members of the National Association of Nigerian
Students, Oyo State chapter, in his office, said those who disrupted the meeting
had no stake in the education sector in the state.
He
added that the initiative would go ahead because of the advantages it would
offer.
The
governor stated that the state would not tolerate public disturbance and
brigandage by any group of people.
Ajimobi
said, “Before any partner can be allowed to get near our schools, they must
have met some stringent conditions. Even in the nearest future, government
would still monitor the schools to ensure adherence to standards. We will take
the schools back if they fail us.
“We
are not selling any school. We are not privatising. Those people will only be
our partners and I want to ask you to go out there and help educate our people
that Oyo of today is democratic and our policies are hinged on consultation and
participation.
“Good
governance is anchored on transparency, consultation and participation of
subjects in the activities of the government.
“You
all know what went down at the last organised stakeholders’ meeting, which was
disrupted. We invited all those that have stakes in education in the state to
jaw-jaw on the partnering proposal in education and those without stake, as
shown in their behaviours, went there to cause disturbances.
“The
era of brigandage and wanton destruction of public assets has gone. We would
not allow any person or group to draw us back. If anybody has issues to present
at the meeting, why didn’t they participate instead of disruption?”
Source: The Punch
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