Borno Govt, Indian Firms Partner On Education, Agric

SAN FRANCISCO, January 11, (THEWILL) - Borno State Government, Thursday,  signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with two Indian firms, IL&FS Education and Technology Service Ltd and Bala Industries Private Limited, to transform the  educational  and agricultural sectors in the state.

The agreement, which  was part of the efforts aimed at tackling the security challenges in the state and develop the human capital of the people, came as the government disclosed that it was  going to consider the provision of one egg per student in the school feeding system across the state.

 The state governor, Alhaji Kashim Shettima, who was represented at the occasion,  which held  at the Council Chamber of the Government House in  Maiduguri, by the Secretary to the State Government, Ambassador Baba Ahmed Jidda, said seven Indian companies made presentations  in the areas of agriculture, education and solar technology when a delegation from the state visited India before the two lucky companies were chosen.

 "I am happy that we are going into partnership with you; IL&FS Education and Technology Service Ltd. for sole purpose of advancing education in Borno State through innovative and integrated learning solution and Bala Industries Private Ltd  for the purpose of poultry equipment supply for incubators, hatchery and brooding battery cages," he said.

Commenting on the importance of the agreement, the sponsor of the Indian firms in Nigeria , Mr. Rajan Menon of the Simba Group of Companies, said  the partnership will help in transforming the education and the agricultural sectors in the state.

Rajan said the security challenges are not only peculiar to Borno State, stressing that they are the major problems in the contemporary world. He advised that the challenges should not stop the government from fulfulling its obligations to its people.

 Also speaking at the occasion, the chairman of the agriculture transformation team, Engineer Ibrahim Ali,  said the purpose of the partnership  is to boost agricultural production,  especially in the area of poultry farming where a day-old chicks will be produced and distributed to rural farmers to enhance their financial status and also meet the protein needs of the people.

He said  the government was going to consider the provision of one egg per student in the school feeding system across the state, adding that the administration of Governor Kashim Shettima was committed to total agricultural transformation of the state.

On his part, the state commissioner of education, Hon. Musa Inuwa Kubo,  said  in this age of Information and Communication Technology (ICT),  Borno schools cannot be left out.

He explained that this was the reason why the state government has committed huge resources in importing ICT equipment worth one million dollars  to be distributed to schools across the state.

He maintained  that the state government was poised to overhauling  the education sector, as Borno state is one of the disadvantaged  state in the area of education.

The commissioner further  stressed that the state government had committed huge resources in the renovation of schools, procurement of text books and other instructional materials for students in the state.