The Nigerian government is set to establish a Presidential Steering Committee later this month, with the primary objective of overseeing and ensuring the successful implementation of the Safe Schools Project. This announcement was made by Senator George Akume, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), during a national summit on the Safe Schools Initiative project in Abuja. The summit was themed “Tackling Identified Threats in Nigeria.”
Senator George Akume, who could not attend the event in person, was represented by his senior special assistant (Technical), Professor Bolaji Bernard Babatunde. He emphasized the necessity of forming a steering committee to enhance the coordination of the school safety project. The committee’s role will be to ensure that all key stakeholders collaborate effectively within a unified framework and optimize the allocation of resources to achieve meaningful results in alignment with the Safe Schools Declaration (SSD).
Akume disclosed that the inauguration of the presidential steering committee will take place following a ministerial retreat. He commended the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), the coordinating agency of the project, for its commendable efforts in launching initiatives aimed at preventing attacks on schools in the country and eradicating insecurity.
The SGF stressed the urgency of safeguarding the nation’s educational institutions and protecting innocent students and teachers, emphasizing that this responsibility cannot be overstated. He urged both states and local governments to allocate budgetary provisions to support the implementation of the School Safety Project at their respective levels to ensure maximum and satisfactory results.
Additionally, Senator Akume advised states to actively participate in the project by establishing and coordinating response centers in collaboration with the recently launched National Response Coordination Centre. This coordinated effort is essential to ensure that the benefits of the initiative reach all corners of their respective regions.
