Former British Prime Minister, Mr. Gordon Brown and Secretary-General of the United Nations, Ban Ki Moon, today, visited the Presidential Villa in Abuja, to confer with President Goodluck Jonathan on how to combat the growing terrorism in the country and save educational institutions from any form of terrorist attacks.
The visitors who were accompanied to the Villa by the governors of Yobe and Borno states, as well as the minister of finance, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala floated what they called: “Safe Schools Intiative.”
Mr. Brown, who spoke to newmen after the close-door session with President Jonathan said that the “Safe Schools Initiative” is aimed at building confidence in the young Nigerians and their parents about going to schools.
“Every child is special, precious and unique. I have come here with the UN Secretary General Ban Ki moon giving me his support, to send our sympathies and our solidarity and our support to the children of Chibok who have been cruely kidnapped and abducted and to give our support to the families of these girls and to the whole communities in Borno state.
“And I am here to say that we wish as an international community, to do everything we can to back up the efforts of President Goodluck Jonathan and the governors of the states to make sure these girls are returned to their families and at the same time to make sure that every parent feels that they can send their children to school, knowing they wil be safe in future.”
The former British Prime Minister said that they would be launching the Safe Schools Intiative soon, adding that President Jonathan has already accepted to set up special fund that will allow the international community as well as local donors to contribute to making the schools in Nigeria safer.
He said that the programme is for the whole country, but that for now, it is starting in the states which have the greatest problem with terrorism in recent months.
“It is our determination as an international community, to help the families feel secure about their boys and girls going to schools, with the hope that they will be safe. That is why we are looking at security for the schools and how we can help the governors and how we can help the Nigerian people with fortifications, telecommunications, guards, safety equipments that will enable people feel safe and more secured in the schools.
“We also want to help the rebuilding of chibok schools because we want parents of that area to be sure that when their girls are released, they can come home to a school that is rebuilt and safe.”
Mr. Brown said that they would also help to rebuild the schools in other areas where schools have either been demolished or burnt down or vandalized, adding that over a long time “we want to help Nigeria which is a great country, with a great future and wonderful potentials, to enable it so that the ten and half million boys and girls who don’t go to school today are able to go to school.
“And I can assure you that around Europe, Asia, America and Latin America, there is massive support for Nigeria in this hour of difficulty: facing terrorism and also in its ambition to be such a great country with great educational standards.”
Okonjo-Iweala confirmed that President Jonathan has kicked off the Safe School Initiative as he received in audience, mr. Brown, the envoy of the secretary general of United Nations who brought the wishes and support of the intentional community.
And Mr President has instructing that I open a trust fund which we have already put N1.6billion. The private sector is also putting N1.6 million.
She said that Mr. Brown is going to be raising some resources while the governors are going to put in commitment.
“We are intent on trying to make sure that our children in the states have an environments which they can come back to school and not have their education truncated.”
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