Five schools in two different communities in Lagos state now has borehole as the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company (NAHCO) Plc inaugurated borehole projects.
The boreholes provide clean water to five schools in a move that has been widely commended by the beneficiaries and the Lagos Local Education Authorities.
The Company also provided power generating sets to power the boreholes.
Before the intervention by NAHCO, pupils at Ewutuntun and Mafoluku, both in Oshodi where five schools were located, had to go out of the school premises in search of water from neighbouring houses during school hours. The absence of water had also made maintenance of hygiene difficult in the schools.
The inauguration of the boreholes at the weekend by Group Managing Director, NAHCO, Mr. Indranil Gupta, has solved the problem.
Gupta said the boreholes would provide water for the children in the school and those who would come after them.
He noted that NAHCO is committed to supporting the government through its corporate social responsibility initiatives.
According to him, stakeholders have to come together to support the government in achieving the dream of providing a better future for our children.
He added that it is the duty of the community, not just the family, to raise children.
While appreciating NAHCO for supporting the school children, Head of Mobilization at the Local Government Education Authority, Mrs. Florence Aderemi said that the presence of the borehole facilities would lead to an increase in enrolment and retention of children in the schools.
She pointed out that it had always been a painful experience for her seeing the school children going out of school premises in search of water.
She thanked NAHCO for the assistance to the schools while praying for the continued progress of the company.
Also, a former Headteacher, State Primary School, Ewutuntun, Mrs. Nwafor, was full of gratitude to NAHCO. She related how tough it had been for the school to cope without water and all efforts to get the problem resolved proved abortive.
On her part, the Headteacher of the Ewu Primary School, Mrs Victoria Adeyemi, was emotional as she danced during the commissioning for the timely intervention by the company. “All I can say is that God will bless NAHCO,” she kept repeating again and again.
The first project located at State Primary School, 3 Bode Onifade Street, Ewutuntun, would serve the school, the Community Primary School, Ewu and the State Primary School, Mafoluku. The second borehole project located at Ewu Primary School, 1-7 Ogundele Street, Ewutuntun, would serve both the named school and Methodist Primary School, Ewutuntun.
Clean Water and Sanitation is one of United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Recognising the need to address this vital requirement in the community, NAHCO took the initiative to install borehole facilities in the schools. These boreholes will provide potable and safe water, ensuring that the pupils and staff have access to clean water for drinking, sanitation, and other essential needs.
The CSR initiative is one of the several ways in which NAHCO, impacts the lives of the communities where it operates. Similar interventions had been made in the past in locations such as Port Harcourt, Enugu and Kano.
