Twist as the Commissioner representing Isoko Ethnic Nationality in Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC), Hon. Victor Egbo, has reversed self over the allegations of conspiracy and bribery levelled against the Principal of St Michael College, Mrs. Bridget Onojerame Oleh as false.
The Commissioner made this known to newsmen Thursday during an inspection of projects in the school in company of the DESOPADEC Executive Director of Projects and other Community stakeholders.
According to him, “We have equally done our investigation that the allegations made against the Principal of the school Mrs. Bridget Onojareme is false, the contractor was only trying to cause confusion between the Board of DESOPADEC, the Oleh Community and the School”, he stated.
He stated that “I am apologizing to the principal for the false allegation level against her, which I stand to correct that the contractor must apologize to the Principal of the school for telling lies against her”.
“I am passing a vote of confidence on the Principal of St Michael College, Oleh, Mrs. Bridget Onojareme because of her proactiveness; she is so active and so concerned about the well being of the school, welfare of students, teachers and youth corpers serving in the school. He always rally round the elites of the community, the old students to ensure the well being of the school”.
The Commissioner who described the principal as a workaholic, stated that “sometimes ago, my attention was drawn by the principal, Mrs. Bridget Onojareme to the deplorable condition of the school; she equally drew my attention to the poor job executed by the contractor, the roofing sheets of the classroom blocks that are not looking good; this is not how it ought to be, the Governor Oborevwori led administration is known for standard and quality jobs”.
He noted that, the school ICT centre and the principal administrative building has been awarded to contractor, adding “if you can see most of the students are hanging around because there is no enough chairs in some classrooms, the chairs we brought are not enough, other chairs for the school will be available soon for the students”
“I have directed the contractor to go back to site and deroof the building and replace the roofing sheet with new ones, because we will not accept a substandard job.If the contractor refuses to do it within the next two weeks, the contract will be revoked. Other jobs given to him have been revoked and re-awarded to another contractor as a result of substandard job done”.
The Executive Director of Projects in DESOPADEC, Dr. Ebenezer Okorodudu commended the efforts of the Commissioner representing Isoko Ethnic Nationality, Hon. Victor Egbo, for the courage to standing by the truth, by condemning the attitude of the contractor and redirecting the contractor to go back to work and do the job to standard and specifications.
Earlier, the Principal of the school, Mrs. Bridget Onojareme said that she was posted to the school, 2022 , stating that she met the school in a deplorable condition.
According to her. “I cried out to some stakeholders of Oleh community, as luck we have it, one of the illustrious sons of the community, Hon. Victor Egbo, was made a Commissioner representing Isoko Ethnic Nationality in DESOPADEC”.
She pointed out that, the real problems of St Michael College, Oleh were lack of furnitures, dilapidated buildings and non-fencing of the school, saying that the non-fencing of the school make students of the school to run out from the school during school hours, and teachers begin run after them to ensure they are in school.
“The Commissioner, Hon. Victor Egbo came one day for scoping, that they are going to do a particular block of the classrooms, principal quarters, ICT block and also provide chairs”.
She stressed that, “two months ago the contractor started the jobs, when I saw what the contractor is doing, I complained to the commissioner that I don’t like the quality of the job especially the roofing of the classrooms block”.
When asked about the contribution of the standard of the job to the school, she said that, if the project is done up to standard it will help to create a good atmosphere for the students and improve their standard of learning.
Speaking earlier, one of the Patron of the school, Engr. Daniel Omoyibo commended the unrelenting effort of the Principal of the Mrs. Bridget Onojareme for rallying round the community elites ever since she was posted to the school to ensure all is well in the school, unlike her predecessors.
While he condemned the the contractor who he said has compromised standards, he commended the Governor of Delta State Elder Sheriff Oborevwori for his giant infrastructural strides in the State, noting that project of this nature will create a good atmosphere of learning for the students of the school.
