By Olayinka Olawale
The Rotary Club of Eko Atlantic, district 9110, on Thursday donated 10 toilet facilities to Tinubu Methodist Primary School, Igbosere, Lagos Island, through a global grant project.

The club also donated water supply and perimeter fencing phase I, to the Nigeria Police, Bar Beach Police Barack, Victoria Island.

Speaking at the inauguration in Lagos, Mrs Omotunde Lawson, District Governor, Rotary International 9110, said the project was sponsored under the Global Grant Water, Sanitation and Hygiene “WASH PROJECT”.

Lawson said the project was executed through a tripeptide funding from Rotary Club of Eko Atlantic, district 9110 and international partner.

According to her, 15 schools benefited from the global grant of which Rotary Club of Eko Atlantic is one.

She noted that Rotary Club of Eko Atlantic was instrumental to bringing and ensuring that the school was a beneficiary of a global grant project.

She further said that the project was part of the 2022 rotary year which was not executed because the grant was not released during the tenure.

Lawson said that the project also included beautification of the facility with flower beds, distribution of hygienic items for the pupils and teachers as well as planting of coconut seedlings.

”The project that we are inaugurating today is initiated by the immediate past president of Eko Atlantic club during her tenure from July 1, 2021 to June 30, 2022.

“I want to congratulate the pioneer beneficiaries of this project because they will use it and leave and many generation of pupils will also use the same facility.

“We are here today to inaugurate a global grant project that Eko Atlantic is instrumental to you being a beneficiary of a global grant project.

“A project like this means that the club will put down money, the district where the club belong to, district 9110 will add some money and also seek international partners outside the country to support a project,” she said.

The district governor said that without a foreign partner, a person could not be part of the global grant project because they too should contribute to that project.

“If Rotary wants to do something big, it will source for partners beyond this country and that is when you can now get enough grant that you can add to your own funds, known as counterpart funding.

“You will now get bigger funds that you can use for a project that is more than $30,000.

“This school is not the only beneficiary of this project, 15 of such schools will benefit from the 2022 rotary year. Though it started last rotary year but the funds came in the 2023,” she explained.

Lawson urged the head teacher of the school to ensure that the facility was properly maintained at all times.

Mr Gboyega Bada, the President, Rotary Club of Eko Atlantic, said the project was an intervention worth executing because of the immediate impact on the pupils.

Bada added that the project was an opportunity to provide service especially for the young ones.

He noted that the former facility used by the pupils was an eyesore and not befitting of a school.

“If you see the former convenience used by the pupils and teachers of the school, you will be amazed.

“I thank God and I thank Rotary Club for coming to the rescue.

“This project is an intervention that is worth doing and am sure that is why our district governor is hear today to see for herself,” he said.

Bada, who’s tenure would end on June 30, commended the district governor for giving them the opportunity to serve.

I thank you for giving us the opportunity to serve. As we are rounding off our tenure, we are rounding off good.

“Since July 2022, Rotary Club of Eko Atlantic have been inaugurating one project or the other. We want to believe that impacting on people’s live is more of rotary.

“It is not just going to build a toilet, we have also done beautification of the environment as well as plant coconut trees within the school compound,” he said.

Mrs Sadiat Sanusi, the Head teacher, commended the club for providing and improving the sanitary condition in the school.

She gave the assurance that the school would make judicious use of the facility.

At the Bar Beach Police State, Bada handed over the borehole facility to the Divosional Police Officer, SP Onyinye Onwuamaegbu.

Onwuamaegbu lauded the club for its support toward improving the standard of the station.

She said that since the water treatment project was executed, it had improved sanitary condition in the station.

She appealed to the club for more support in order to excel during her tenure in the station and improve security.

The Project Chairman, Mr Makanjuola Famoroti, said that the toilet was in a very bad state when the club visited the school from inception.

Famoroti said this compelled them to adopt the school because the club saw broken toilet seat and felt they were dangerous to pupils as well as members of the teaching staff.

“We demolished part of the former facility and constructed 10 new modern facilities for the benefit of the school,” he said.

Famoroti urged the pupils to make judicious use of the facility and ensure that it was kept clean at all times.

“Don’t turn this facility into a dumping ground, we have built if for you to make schooling conducive,” he said.

Mr Jumoke Akinsanya, representative of the Office of the Quality Assurance, the  Lagos State Ministry of Education, commended the club for constructing the facility. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Chinyere Bassey/Chinyere Joel-Nwokeoma