From Abdullahi Adamu Gusau
Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara state has visited Approved School Bungudu where he lamented its dilapidated condition.
The Approved School was established to serve as correctional centre for under aged children.
The unscheduled visit by Governor Dauda Lawal had exposed the rot in the school system due to neglect by the previous administrations.
According to a press release issued by the press secretary to the governor, Sani Ahmad Sambo, the Governor observed with nostalgia the filthy nature of the school environment with stinking odour oozing out from some parts of the students’ hostel.
Most of the windows
had been broken while
the wall had cracked and the floor tartared as students also sleep on worn out mattresses.
Governor Dauda Lawal who was visibly disturbed by the condition of school went round to inspect the kitchen, empty workshop halls and other sections of the school which further irritated him, the statement added.
The school, according to the principal, has been operating under a very bad condition with either a delapidated structure or complete absence of vital requirements and equipments and facilities to serve as a rehabilitation center.
Moved by the condition school, Governor Dauda Lawal wondered how a human being could be accommodated under a very unkept environment and claim that it is a rehabilitation centre.
Speaking to jounalists, Governor Dauda stressed that, ” I have come to see for myself the condition of the school, and what I have seen so far is horrible beyond explanation”.
Governor Lawal therefore expressed dismay over what he saw pointing out that the place which should have been a befitting centre for correcting deviant behaviors of children is in a condition that one cannot keep an animal let alone human beings.
He noted that no responsible parent will contemplate bringing his child to such a very bad environment no matter the gravity of his delinquent behavior.
Governor Dauda Lawal who smartly controlled emotions and fought back tears while councelling a cross section of the inmates, preached the gospel of refined attitude, respect for parents, and repentance for illicit behaviour. He admonished them to change their attitude for the better as he also pledged improve their living condition and give the school a facelift within a couple of weeks.
The school principal, Sale Muhammad, who took the governor roundl stated that since its creation, it has no electricity supply from national greed.
He also lamented absence of essential working equipments and facilities such clinic, furniture and workshop tools that would have been used to train the inmates some skills to make them self reliant and productive members of the society after leaving the school.
The principal explained that since the creation of Zamfara state, none of the former Governors visited to assess the condition of the school. He therefore thanked Governor Dauda Lawal for the unprecedented visit which he described as a historical landmark since the creation of the state.
Governor Dauda therefore ordered the commissioners of the relevant Ministries to swing into action and ensure that the school including its access road Mosques and kitchen are put in a better shape to enable it function effectively.
In the Governor’s entourage were, the state Head of Service, Barrister Ahmed Aliyu Liman, Commissioner Housing and Urban development, Hon Kabiru Moyi Birnin Magaji, Commissioner for Budget and economic planning, Hon Abdulmalik Abubakar Gajam, commissioner for women and children affairs, Dr Nafisa Muhammad Maradun as well as special advisers among others.
