Maj-Gen. Muhammad Augie, Commandant, Army Education Corps, has advised the North-West states to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with the Army, to enable it shoulder the funding of Army Secondary Schools in their respective domains.
Malam Yahaya Sarki, Special Adviser to Gov. Atiku Bagudu on Media, disclosed this in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Birnin Kebbi, on Tuesday.
Sarki quoted the commandant as saying this during a courtesy visit on the governor at Government House, Birnin Kebbi.
The commandant lamented that an MoU between the Army and the states, where Army Schools were located, had not been signed.
He said: “I want to use this medium to appeal to the Kebbi state government and other states where these schools are situated, to formally sign the MoU, to enable the army shoulder the funding of the schools.
“Sir, unless the MoU is signed, the schools are still under the state government and we expect the states to do everything for the schools.
“The Army Command Science Secondary Schools in the North-West states comprising Kebbi, Sokoto and Zamfara, may collapse or be merged if the MoU is not signed for the military to take over their funding”, Gen. Augie said.
The commandant stressed the need for urgent measures by the State governors in the North-West to sign the MoU “because the Army may review their viability.”
Augie lauded the efforts of the Kebbi state government for its continuous support in manning the two Command Science Secondary, Schools in Jega for boys and in Garin Goru in Birnin Kebbi Local Government, for girls.
The commandant specifically commended the state government, under the leadership of Gov. Atiku Bagudu, for putting up roads, structural infrastructure, as well as supporting the parents in feeding the students of the two schools in the state.
“I am aware of what the state government is doing, especially in terms of roads and other projects in Goru and Jega,” he said.
Earlier, Augie had told the governor that he was in the state as the Corps Commandant, Education, on an assessment tour of the schools.
“As you are aware, I took the mantle of leadership of the Corps on 20th of April. It is customary in the Army that after a Commandant takes over, he goes around the units, in my own case, I am going round all the schools in the Army to assess the situation on the ground.
“It is on this note that I am here, I went round all the schools in the 81 division and Lagos, 2 division, Ibadan, H2 Garrison and 1 division, Kaduna, and I am nowhere, this is home sir.
“The Chief of Army Staff is aware of my familiarisation and assessment tour, it is really to assess the schools, the situation on ground and the state generally what is obtained,” he said.
Responding, Gov. Atiku Bagudu expressed delight for the visit, assuring the army that the state government would remain committed to taking care of the schools and ensuring their sustainability.
Bagudu, who was represented by the Dep. Gov. Col. Sama’ila Yombe-Dabai (Rtd) said: “I want to welcome you to Kebbi State on behalf of His Excellency, Gov. Abubakar Atiku Bagudu.
“I must say that your visit has created a kind of gingering, I assure you that before you reach where you are going, the problem is solved.
“I can assure you that those in charge of the schools are capable and the governor will sign the MoU soon, for the smooth running of the two command science schools in Kebbi state.
”Before his departure, the Yombe-Dabai conducted the Education Corp Commandant round the locally fabricated armoured personnel carriers for the military by the Kebbi state government at the Government House, Birnin Kebbi. (NAN)
