From: Taiwo Oluwadare, Ibadan
The Chairman of Oyo Education Trust Fund (ETF) board, Chief (Mrs) Onikepo Akande (CON) on Thursday said the board will on November 21, 2017 launched a N50b education intervention fund to fund education in the state.
The ETF chairman stated this in Ibadan during a press conference with journalists at the Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism, the state Secretariat.
According to Akande, the fund raising will be organized on November 21, 2017 at the International Conference Centre of the University of Ibadan as part of the statutory source of money for the fund.
She said: “it is an open secret that the state of education today is appauling. What we have as education in Oyo State is a total departure from what it used to be and in order to restore Education to what it used to be and to also take it further to be able to compete with what is obtainable globally, an urgent step is necessary to be taken. It is this urgent step that gave birth to Oyo ETF.
“Oyo ETF was established by the Oyo State Government through Edict No3 of 2016 that was assented into law by the Executive Governor of Oyo State, His Excellency, Senator Abiola Ajimobi on the 30th of June 2016.
“The major objective is to pool funds together from governmental, corporate bodies, individuals and interested philanthropists to assist the state with financing of education for improved service delivery.
“The aim of the law that established the fund is to assist the state with financing of education and provide for the management of the fund and for related matters”, Onikepo Akande said.
The Chairman of the board added that friends and well-wishers of the state are expected at fund raising to ensure that the state returns to its rightful place on the ladder of education in Nigeria.