PENGASSAN renovates school blocks, donates 200 desks, 800 books to Pupils

LEA Primary School in Tukuruwa, a rural community in Kwali Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory, came alive on Tuesday, following the unveiling of newly renovated school blocks by the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) Foundation.

The project, which includes two blocks of six classrooms, staff rooms, toilets, borehole, 200 desks, and 800 notebooks and school bags for pupils, was executed in less than a month.

Speaking at the handover ceremony, PENGASSAN President, Comrade Festus Osifo, described the intervention as one of the most significant ever undertaken by the Foundation, which was launched just two years ago.

“We are extremely delighted to be here today, amidst His Royal Highness and the Chairman of Kwali Area Council, to hand over this particular project that was executed by PENGASSAN Foundation,” Osifo said.

He said that since its establishment, the Foundation has carried out several humanitarian projects across Nigeria, including hospital bill payments for the poor and other community-based interventions.

“We’ve done a lot of interventions across the nuka crannies of the country. We were in different general hospitals to look out for the poorest of the poor in our society.

“By the grace of God, members of PENGASSAN, through its foundation, was able to make those interventions.” Osifo said.

The union leader emphasized that the decision to prioritize education in rural areas was deliberate.

“We felt that as a body, PENGASSAN, this was one of the projects that we think was quite auspicious. One of the projects that would go straight to the heart of this community, and also better the lives of these children, because these are future senators, these are future presidents, these are future governors, and these are future local government chairmen and chairladies.” he said.

He also added that the Foundation’s decision to provide 200 desks, 800 notebooks, and school bags was its own small way of giving back to the country.

“Just our little way of saying thank you to a country that has given us support to be who we are today.

“We strongly believe that empowering people and touching lives, that is one of the ways to please God.” He said.

Osifo explained that the Foundation prioritized underserved communities when selecting projects.

“We are going to go to communities that are not in the center of town, because we know that government focuses much more quickly and easily around those projects within the municipal areas. So that was actually why we felt that this was quite good. And these are our children.” He said.

His Royal Highness, Etsu Kwali, Luka Ayedoo Nizassan III, expressed deep appreciation on behalf of the community, describing the project as a symbol of hope and inclusion.

“We feel hopeful, because this project will provide conveniences or has provided conveniences for the pupils of this school to learn. Our hearts are so filled with joy,” he said.

The traditional ruler praised the swift response of PENGASSAN to the community’s request for help.

“The moment we submitted this as an entry for consideration, it was agreed unanimously because of the condition of the school at the time. They paid an advocacy visit, checked what happened here, and then decided to swing into action. The renovation of this school is less than a month.” He said

The traditional leader said that though security and access remain challenges in the agrarian community, plans are already underway to tackle them.

“What we’ve done is to rejig the security system of this entire area. We’re going to have this community school management committee, who will deliberately see the school as their own property and protect it.” The Etsu noted.

He further highlighted the community’s involvement in the project, saying, “The cleaning of this surrounding was done by the community. The cleaning of those classes, scrubbing and the rest of it, were done by all members of this community.

“This is the role you are going to continue to play in order to ensure that this school doesn’t go down like it was.” He said

Chairman of Kwali Area Council, Hon. Danladi Chiya, who received the symbolic handover of the renovated school, acknowledged PENGASSAN’s critical role in reviving a long-neglected facility.

“Today, I’m overwhelmed standing before you. I’m so glad that the PENGASSAN Foundation have deemed it necessary to touch the life of Kwali people.

“Indeed, the entire community of Kwali Area Council were honoured and were happy for your intervention.” Chiya said

He further reaffirmed the council’s commitment to ensuring the project is sustained.

“On behalf of Kwali Area Council, I have received this very wonderful gift. I assure you, I am like a police in Kwali Area Council. I don’t just sit in my parlours and expect people to give me reports. I will police it.” He said.