Ogun State government says the removal of shanties and makeshift structures around school environment in the state, is part of the present administration’s Safer Schools Initiative, aimed at making schools safe for learning, towards preventing distractions and criminality.
Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Environment, Alhaji Farook Akintunde made this known during an enforcement exercise at Ifo, Ifo Local Government Area.
During the exercise, shanties and illegal makeshift structures at the fences and sides of Methodist High School, Arigbajo were removed.
Alhaji Akintude, who doubles as Chairman, Environmental Compliance and Enforcement Taskforce, stated that the structures constitute distractions to proper learning and could be used as hideouts for kidnappers if they were not demolished.
“A situation where public school’s fences are covered with these shanties and makeshift structures are unacceptable as they impede learning and expose students to dangers which the state government will not allow to happen,” the Governor’s aide explained.
He pointed out that some criminal elements use the structures as hideouts and lure students into illicit acts, which could make them unhealthy learners, warning traders with shanties and makeshift structures beside fences of public schools to voluntarily remove them to pave way for serene environment.
Remarking, the Global and National President, Old Students’ Association, Methodist High School, Ifo, Mr. Seyi Oyegbami commended the Ministry for the initiative, assuring that the body would join hands with the taskforce to ensure sanity in and around the school environment.
