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… warns communities to comply or projects will not be started
The Enugu State Government has restated its criteria for the location of Smart Green Schools and Type 2 Primary Healthcare Centers in the 260 electoral wards in the state, warning that the projects will not be started in the communities that are unable to provide lands that satisfy the specified requirements.
The government, in a statement signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, on Friday, said the proposed locations of the Smart Schools and Health Centres must meet the specified requirements in terms of size, proximity and accessibility to the intended beneficiaries in the host communities.
“To be clear, the criteria for the location of an Enugu Smart Green School are as follows: Firstly, they must be central and easily accessible. This means they must be situated within or very close to the residential areas of the host communities. Secondly, there must be no dispute or litigation over the land. Thirdly, the topography must be flat. And fourthly, the proposed site must be large enough to accommodate the school, the staff quarters, and the playground (3 hectares), with an additional one hectare for the school farm. Where the land is not large enough for the facilities to be in one contiguous space, the land(s) for the other facilities must be properly identified and be in walking-distance proximity to the school.”
It said further that “the location of the Type 2 Primary Health Centre must meet the above requirements, except that the size of the land in this case is one hectare only”.
The government frowned at the proposed locations for the Smart Schools and Type 2 Health Centres that are distant from the people they are meant to serve, stressing that it would be more difficult for the host communities to guarantee the safety and protection of the school children, staff and installed facilities.
“The government will not accept any proposed location that is distant from the intended beneficiaries of the smart schools and health centres. The safety and protection of the pupils, teachers and installed facilities were considered at the design stage. They must be sited at places where it will be easier for the host communities to take ownership and ensure the safety and security of the school children, staff and installed facilities”, Prof. Onyia added.
The government had in 2023 awarded the contracts for 127 Smart Green Schools in the state, while the last batch of 133 was recently approved and awarded, bringing the total to 260, or one Smart Green School per electoral ward in Enugu State.