By Peter Dansu The Executive Chairman of Badagry West Local Government, Hon. Rauf Ibrahim Kayode Yemaren (popularly known as RIKAY), has a...
By Peter Dansu
The Executive Chairman of Badagry West Local Government, Hon. Rauf Ibrahim Kayode Yemaren (popularly known as RIKAY), has announced plans to place volunteer teachers engaged in the ongoing GCE tutorial initiative on the council’s payroll.
Yemaren made the disclosure on Thursday while addressing students at the Students’ Engagement and Symposium organized by the National Association of Badagry West Students (NABWEST). He further revealed that the tutorial programme would be expanded to two locations, Owode and Seme, to make it easier for students who had previously complained about distance challenges.
According to him, the intervention would not be limited to GCE candidates but would also cater to students preparing for JAMB and other external examinations. “If education is key, then we must continue to educate our people, and my government will not relent in that commitment,” he stated.
Sharing his personal story, Yemaren recalled how he once considered abandoning his degree programme at Lagos State University due to lucrative cross-border trading. However, his late father insisted he complete his studies, a decision he described as pivotal to his success today. “I love hard work, but not at the expense of education. The reward of that degree is what I am enjoying today,” he told the students.
The symposium, themed “The Role of Students in Combating Climate Change in Education,” also offered a platform for the Chairman to emphasize environmental responsibility. He reminded the students that one of his administration’s first assignments was the Gbaji and Yard Bridge sanitation exercises, stressing that a clean environment remains a top priority. “Do not throw pure water nylons or plastic bottles on the floor. Be disciplined and environmentally friendly,” he urged.
On student welfare, Yemaren reaffirmed the council’s bursary scheme but tied eligibility to voter participation. He encouraged students of voting age to obtain their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), saying: “No PVC, no bursary. If the government is trying to build you, you should also give back. All I want from you is your support for the giver of the day through your PVC and your vote.”
In recognition of his contributions, NABWEST decorated the Chairman as Patron of the association. Its President, Comrade John Boyon Metonno, praised Yemaren for his youth-focused leadership. “I see a Chairman who truly has the desire of the youths at heart, and his actions today prove that he is ready to invest in our future,” he said.
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