Bayelsa govt urges Education Trust Fund on revenue drive

Bayelsa State Government has urged the state Education Development Trust Fund Board (EDTFB) to step up its revenue drive, to augment the monthly statutory funds it is drawing from the government.

Deputy Governor Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo gave the advice yesterday during a meeting with the management of the board, led by the Acting Chairman, Prof. Francis Sikoki, who represented the substantive Chairman, Prof Turner Isoun.

The meeting was held at the Government House in Yenagoa.

The deputy governor, in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Mr. Doubara Atasi, described education as a critical social need that required much financial investment for its impact to be felt in the society.

Acknowledging the role the board was playing in advancing the educational fortunes of the state, he stressed the need for them not to depend on government’s funding alone, considering the capital intensiveness of education.

Sen. Ewhrudjakpo, however, assured the board that the Governor Douye Diri administration would continue to show commitment to its monthly statutory obligations to it because of the high premium it attached to education.

Underscoring the importance of education, the deputy governor noted that “those with thorough education are those who are easy to lead because they know their rights, therefore, investing in the sector cannot be overemphasised.”

He hailed the former governor and the lawmaker representing Bayelsa West, Senator Seriake Dickson, for his doggedness, astuteness and foresight in initiating the EDTF, noting that “even the greatest critics of the idea are now singing his praises.”

He said: “I want to encourage you to spread your tentacles, because until a seed is buried, it cannot become a tree. So, we need to expand what we have in order not to limit ourselves to this statutory line of funding.

“We believe the first priority of every reasonable government after security is education. This is why the ‘Prosperity Administration’ has made it its top cardinal point for development. We believe the more educated people we have, the better for our society.

“I’m very sure most of us at the initial stage would quip, why Education Trust Fund? But today we all, including his critics, will agree that but for the novel ideas and initiatives he (Senator Dickson) took, we will not be making the progress we are making today as a state.”

Prof. Francis Sikoki, who represented Prof. Isoun, praised Governor Diri for sustaining the trust fund policy he inherited from his predecessor.

He said in pursuance of its mandate, the board had formulated a number of policies and programmes as well as set up some standing committees to enable it carry out its duties effectively.

According to the acting chairman, the board is also developing a strategic plan for intervention in some key areas, including Information and Communication Technology (ICT), infrastructure, functional science laboratories, school feeding and capacity building, especially for teachers.