Former Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, has commended the government of Enugu State for its Smart Green Schools initiative, describing it as a model for educational transformation in Nigeria.
In a post shared on Instagram, Osinbajo disclosed that he met with the Governor of Enugu State, Peter Ndubuisi Mbah, to discuss the state’s ongoing rollout of Smart Green solar-powered schools across its 260 wards.
According to Osinbajo, the schools are designed to combine modern education with healthcare services for children. He noted that each facility includes a clinic staffed by trained nurses who provide vaccinations for children who may have missed routine immunisation, alongside other essential healthcare services.
The former vice president said the initiative stands out for its focus on technology-driven learning and environmental sustainability, describing it as a significant step towards improving educational outcomes in the state.
Osinbajo also highlighted Enugu State’s commitment to education funding, stating that 32.27 per cent of the state’s 2026 budget has been allocated to the sector. He suggested that the allocation could be among the highest education budget commitments by any state government in Nigeria.
He further noted that the investment is being supported by advanced teacher training programmes aimed at improving the quality of instruction across the state’s schools.
Commending Governor Mbah and the Enugu State Government, Osinbajo described the Smart Green Schools programme as a visionary initiative that is setting a strong example for education reform and child development in Nigeria.
![Rev. Fr. Anthony Odiong, a US-based Nigerian Louisiana Catholic priest, was arrested in Florida on Tuesday for possessing child pornography, according to law authorities. The suspect is reportedly accused of many other cases of sexual assault. The Waco, Texas, Police Department announced in a Facebook post on Tuesday that officers detained Father Anthony Odiong in Ave Maria, Florida, with assistance from the United States Marshals Service. Waco police announced in March that they had received "credible information" about a sexual assault allegedly committed by Odiong in Texas in 2012. “During the subsequent investigation, a case of possession of child pornography was uncovered,” the police said. The priest was apprehended in Florida by the Caribbean Regional Fugitive Task Force. The Waco Police Department said that he will be extradited to Texas. Odiong had previously served in the Archdiocese of New Orleans before being removed as priest in December of last year due to controversy over homilies in which he claimed, among other things, that the Catholic Church was being taken over by "the gays." At the time, the priest was also accused of abusive behaviour; a Louisiana lady claimed in U.S. bankruptcy court that Odiong had committed both financial and sexual abuse against her. Prior to joining the New Orleans Archdiocese, Odiong served in at least two Texas parishes. On Tuesday, Waco police stated that during their sexual assault investigation, "the presence of other survivors was revealed." “Multiple women have come forward to tell similar experiences as the sexual assault survivor who reported the initial allegation,” the police department said. “Survivors’ experiences ranged from sexual assault and indecent assault, more commonly recognised as groping, and financial abuse, with some survivors experiencing every element of Anthony Odiong’s manipulation.” The police said they “believe there may be more survivors, and we wish to speak with anyone who [has] had similar encounters” with the priest. The Archdiocese of New Orleans issued a brief news release on Tuesday noting Odiong's arrest in Florida. The archdiocese “encourages anyone with any information to contact law enforcement,” the release said.](https://chronicle.ng/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/ezgif-6-4730550ede-450x300.jpg "Odiong: US-based Nigerian Catholic priest convicted over sexual assault")
