The North East Development Commission (NEDC) has announced a N1billion investment for the reconstruction of Government Secondary School (GSS), Malam Sidi, a 45-year-old institution located in Kwami Local Government Area, Gombe State.
At the site handover ceremony to contractors, NEDC Managing Director, Mohammed Goni Alkali, represented by the state’s Coordinator, Rufa’i Lawan Baba-Manu, highlighted that this initiative is part of the commission’s broader effort to rehabilitate and reconstruct dilapidated schools across the northeast region.
Alkali pointed out that the poor condition of the school, which was established in 1979, had severely disrupted academic activities.
“GSS Malam Sidi is one of the largest schools in the Gombe North Senatorial District, yet its state of disrepair has significantly hindered its function. We are working closely with the state government to revitalise the school,” he said.
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He emphasised that the N1 billion allocated for this project underscores the commission’s commitment to education. “No amount of money spent on education is too much,” Alkali added.
The NEDC is also overseeing the construction of three new mega schools in the state, one in each of the three geopolitical zones, with these projects nearing 95% completion. These schools are expected to be handed over to the state government soon for the resumption of academic activities.
Dr. Aishatu Umar Maigari, the state’s Commissioner of Education, praised the NEDC for its intervention, noting that the dire state of the school had led to its closure and the transfer of students to other institutions.
She announced that the state has recruited 1,000 teachers and is conducting a gap analysis to staff the new mega schools. Maigari said.