Electricity tariff hike: Oyo Alumni association to install solar-powered energy in alma mater  

IBRAHIM QUADRI

In a bid to address poor power supply and the hike in electricity tariff, the Federal Government Girls’ College (FGGC), Old Girls Association, Oyo is to inaugurate a number of solar powered electricity projects for its alma mater.

The President of the association, Prof Ayodele Atsen,uwa disclosed this during a press conference at NUGA Secretariat, UNILAG, Lagos.

Atsenuwa explained that the projects were part of activities lined up for the 50th anniversary since the establishment of the school.

With the theme: ‘Celebrating our legacy of Excellence,’ members would be marking the N44 million Legacy Projects to be commissioned at the Special Assembly being convened on Saturday, 19th October.

The projects are: Solar Electricity intervention with capacity to power 11 blocks of eight classrooms each, the administrative blocks and the School Library and solar-powered flood lights to the kitchen area.

Also, a renovated well-furnished modern School Library; solar powered boreholes to serve five student hostels and the kitchen will be commissioned by the Minister of State for Education, Alhaji Yusuf Tanko Sununu.

The 50th anniversary celebration, which will take place over three days, will also feature the following activities.

On Friday, 18th October, a motorcade rally through Oyo Town culminating in a visit to the Palace of the Alaafin of Oyo, where Basorun of Oyo will be receiving the alumni and a Juma’at Service in the School will also take place.

The President further said: “On Saturday, 19th October, with the current students special convocation of all old girls, current students, current and former staff of the school, representatives of the Parents and Teachers Association, and special guests including the distinguished senator representing Oyo Central Senatorial District and the Honourable Member of the House of Representatives representing the Afijio/Oyo East/Oyo West/Atiba Federal Constituency, Our Guest Speaker at the event is Mr. Olasupo Sasore, SAN, the former Hon. Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Lagos State and a Fund Raising and Gala Nite.

On Sunday, 20th, October, Thanksgiving Service in Oyo and Ibadan will also be held.

Prof Atsenuwa stated, the institution which was established in 1974, threw open its doors to the first set of students on September 27, 1974.

She noted: “The school, alongside others belong to the genre of secondary schools established for the purpose of fostering national unity.

“Fifty years on, from a modest first set of about 20 girls who arrived on that first day, FGGC Oyo has received more than 6,000 girls in 50 cohorts, nurturing them into young adults, who by the time they are leaving the school are well equipped to take on the world because of the quality of rounded education that they have received.

“Our mission is to ensure that the girls, who come after us have it no less good, but rather, far better than we did in their experience of quality education. And that is why for the 50th anniversary celebrations, our Association elected to make the core of celebrations the institution of legacy projects.”

The Chairman, Planning Committee for the event, Ayodeji Ikotun, explained that the targeted fund for the event was N82 million but the committee was able to raise N50million, saying the economic situation in the country had impacted on the fund-raising activity.

She appealed to individuals, corporate bodies and government to support the school to uplift education standard.

Chairman 1992 set, Susan Oluwole, said the College library was in a state of disrepair and that was why the set took it upon itself to renovate it.

She added that because of the importance attached to the project, it was included as part of the projects for commissioning during the forthcoming anniversary.

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