By Ibraheem Solaudeen.
The Kwara state government has condemned the distribution of instructional materials to schools in Kwara state by the immediate past President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki.
It was alleged that as part of an already approved and funded constituency project of Senator Saraki for 2018, the constituency office of the former Senator, otherwise known as Mandate Constituency Office, had announced the distribution of instructional and other learning materials to schools across the state. But in its reaction to the gesture, the Kwara state government has condemned the act, describing it as an attempt to politicise education in the state.
Yakub Aliagan, the press secretary of the Kwara state Ministry of Education and Human Capital Development, who revealed the position of the government on the issue said the state government was not informed before the instructional materials were sent to schools for distribution.
While endorsing the decision of school authorities to reject the donated items, Aliagan noted that Senator Saraki constituency office ought to have sent the materials to the Ministry of Education for vetting and subsequent approval for distribution.
“Besides it is wrong for anyone to emblazon their images or personal logos on instructional materials made with public resources for distribution in public schools. The said materials were some sort of Constituency projects which have been approved and funded by the Federal Government of Nigeria,” a part of the statement clarified.
Concluding, the state government advised the management of Dr. Saraki constituency office to retrieve the books and re-present same through the Ministry of Education after replacing the covers.
INSIDER reached out to the Chief Press Secretary to the state governor, Rafiu Ajakaye who tacitly gave credence to the position of the Ministry.
He said, “A ministry is an arm of the government. If somebody says something and it doesn’t represent our position, we’ll reject it. In this case, we haven’t rejected it.”
Meanwhile, a senior official of the past government who confided to this medium averred that the statement issued by the Ministry of Education was at the instance of the state government.
He also alleged that the state government avoided appearing petty, hence used the ministry to reject the books.
See photos of the materials below:
