The Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammadu Abubakar and Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno have commended Vice President Yemi Osinbajo for his commitment to vulnerable children’s education in the North-East.

The duo spoke at the fifth anniversary of the North-East Children’s Trust (NECT) School, known as the North-East Learning Centre, on Monday in Abuja.

The centre, located in Maiduguri, Borno, is an initiative of the vice president to provide educational and extensive-care support to 10,000 children orphaned or displaced by the Boko Haram insurgency in the North-East.

Mr Abubakar, who described NECT as an excellent initiative, lauded the vice president and every other person involved in the scheme.

“I would like to thank you, the vice president, for your commitment and concern, pursuing such projects not only to start but being maintained and even marking the fifth anniversary having taken off in April 2018,” stated the sultan. “I would like to thank the governor of Borno for your total commitment and selfless service to humanity.”

He added, “In the last three years, we have been seeing what you are doing. Definitely, with your support, this project, NECT is gaining strength and strength; because it is very important for us as religious leaders, you know the importance of taking care of the orphans and the less privileged.”

On his part, Mr Zulum commended the vice president’s vision in establishing NECT in Borno.

The governor disclosed that Borno had 39,311 orphans and 50,000 widows.

“These are official figures; the unofficial figures are more than this; therefore, establishing this learning centre, particularly in Maiduguri, will go a long way in reducing the number of out-of-school children in Borno State,” added Mr Zulum.

In his remarks, Mr Osinbajo, just before cutting the anniversary cake, went down memory lane and paid tributes to ex-Governor Kashim Shettima for the role he played in setting up NECT.

“I want to start by saying that when in 2016, I visited Borno, it was in 2016, not 2018; 2018 was when the school was opened. It took about a year to build, but our first encounter was in 2016,” explained Mr Osinbajo. “And we started raising funds in 2016 and March 2017 and spent almost a year getting the school built. 2018 was when the first children were taken into the school.”

(NAN)