…..says gesture to complement Government’s efforts
Former Governorship Candidate during the 2019 General Elections in Kwara State on the platform of Labour Party (LP) and the Vice President, IndustriAll Global Union, Comrade Issa Aremu has donated another block of a twin toilets to Araromi Aiyegun Junior Secondary School, Eiyenkorin in Asa local government area of kwara state.
Speaking during the commissioning of the project at the school presmise on Sunday (March 8, 2020), Comerade Aremu said the gesture was to make teaching and learning more conducive for both teachers and students of the school and to also commemotmrate the International Women’s Day.
Comrade Aremu donated a block of twin toilets for the school exactly a year ago to mark the 2019 International Women’s Day (IWD).
“I am using the occasion of the International’s Women’s Day today to official present to the Junior Secondary School Araromi Ayegun, another block of twin toilets for use by both the students and teachers in the school” he said.
Comrade Aremu added the gesture was also to complement the Kwara State’s administration’s effort and commitment to improved sanitation and hygiene in line with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) six (6).
He said the SDGs six seeks to achieve access to adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene for all and end open defecation, paying special attention to the needs of women and girls and those in vulnerable situations by 2030.
“We hope this also complements the objectives of Executive Order 009 signed by President Muhammadu Buhari which tends to end open defication”.
“It is unacceptable in this present era to build a school without adequate consideration for toilet facilities and other basic amenities like power and water. If poorer Kwara could provide all these basic necessities of life in schools in those days, the richer Kwara has no excuse than to do better than it’s predecessors” he added.
According to him, this project came into being following a pledge I made during the Inter-School Science Competition held at Apata Ajele Secondary School, where the female students of Ayegun Secondary School came second.
He said the competition was organised for selected Secondary Schools in the area by an NGO (Volunteer Service Organisation Nigeria) in collaboration with some British volunteers.
Comrade Aremu commended the Governor of Kwara State, Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq for placing priority attention to gender equality in the state.
He said Kwara Governor has gone down in history as the first African leader with the highest number of female cabinet members and political appointees.
“At present, nine, or 52.25%, of his 16-person cabinet picks are women. That is way higher than the 35% affirmative action sought by the Beijing Declaration and a big statement for the Nigerian girl child as the world marks the 2020 edition of the International Women’s Day.
He said the theme of this year’s International Women’s Day is “I am Generation Equality: Realizing Women’s Rights” is aligned with United Nations Women’s new multigenerational campaign – Generation Equality which marks 25th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action adopted in 1995 at the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing, China.
“This year’s theme serves as a wake up call towards equal gender representation. It focuses on the need for all to be involved in the fight for gender equality. Today we should raise the voice for gender equality in the politics and governance, boardrooms, government, workplace and trade unions” Aremu said.
Earlier in his address, the Principal of the school, Mallam Kelani Suleiman Toyin thanked Comrade Issa Aremu for building another block of twin toilets for the female students of the school and described the gesture as a great relief to both staff and students of the school.
In his remarks, the leader of the community, Mallam Ilyas S. Salihu said the community will remain ever grateful to the donor and wished him the accomplishment of his heart desires.
End.
