The ’96 Set of the Federal Government Girls’ College (FGGC) Benin City is set to construct a block of eight toilets and open-space bathroom to commemorate 20 years of graduating from the school.
Two representatives of the set, Mrs Omoefe Siapkere and Ms Kofoworola Belo-Osagie, visited the school last Monday with a team of engineers from Mc Laurel Engineering Services, and Mr Abayomi Adeyeri, Member, Board of Trustees, Dr Florence Bola Ala Foundation.
They were received by the Principal, Mrs Patience Erhahon, who took them on tour of some of the facilities of the 43-year-old college.
She informed the old girls of plans by the Federal Government to do a major rehabilitation of facilities in the school, advising them to meet other needs like completing an abandoned hostel, rehabilitating the JSS3 block, or constructing more toilets and bathrooms to ease the pressure on existing ones.
The representatives of the set decided to build toilets and bathrooms because of the initial plans of the set to upgrade toilets in the hostels.
The ladies chose to start with Moremi House (formerly called Annex House) because it is the closest to the academic area as a reward to members of the house for keeping it neat.
Mrs Siakpere said the motive behind the project, which would cost N5,850,000, was to give back to the institution that contributed to moulding the old girls to be successful.
“We are doing the project basically to give back to our alma mater. We spent our formative years here and the school contributed to our success in life,” she said.
Mr Adeyeri, who joined the tour on the invitation of Mrs Saikpere, said the foundation would support the old girls in implementing the project because it is in line with its vision.
“The project is a laudable one and it is an initiative that even other sets should emulate as much as possible. From our end at the Florence Bola Ala Foundation, we are particular about helping educational institutions because Dr Florence Bola Ala (in whose memory the foundation was set up) was a professor in early child education and she funded and assisted many people to access education. We will part of the initiative in our little to support Mrs Saipkere, with whom we have a work relationship,” said Adeyeri, who is also the Chief Marketing Officer for Flobal Trust, the firm that runs the foundation.
Mr Lawrence Egere, the Team leader for Mc Laurel Engineering Services, said the project, which would included eight toilets, open space bathroom that can accommodate over 20 girls at once, water facilities, and an external area with six taps, could be completed in 25 days once funds is made available.
He said the firm has taken into consideration the category of users and would use durable materials to ensure the facility lasts.
“We are constructing eight toilets and eight bathrooms. The interior will have tile finishing with shower and bath facilities. We have considered durability and will not use materials that will need to be repaired tomorrow. For water, we are looking at providing two tanks; and we have in mind to install six taps outside. For the building, we will do PVC filling, which is in line with modern trend; while we will use long span aluminium sheets for the roof,” he said.
The Principal was glad that the project coming as she prepares to bow out of service this month. She called on another set to take up the rehabilitation of the JSS3 block.
She also said the school had thrived under her watch, noting that the school recorded the best performance in the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) among the 104 unity schools in the three years she was in the saddle.
“I am glad this is being taken care of as I leave. For three and a half years that I have been here, we have been coming first among all the unity schools. My teachers are hard working; the vice principals are hardworking and the students themselves are willing to learn,” she said.
The Grassroots Support Network Initiative, a non-governmental organisation, is also supporting the old girls to implement the project.
