By Michael Oche
The National Association of Seadogs (NAS), through its Galleon Bay Deck, in partnership with the Nigerian Building and Road Research Institute (NBRRI), has delivered a major education intervention at LEA Primary School, Mpape, Abuja, with the commissioning of three blocks of nine renovated classrooms and the donation of learning materials.
The project, executed under NAS’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative, has been described as one of the most significant non-governmental interventions in the Federal Capital Territory’s basic education sector in recent years.
Nigerian Pilot reports that the project targets providing a lifeline for the school’s 844 pupils, many of whom had endured years of dilapidated infrastructure, broken furniture, and inadequate learning resources.
Speaking at the commissioning ceremony, NAS Capoon, Dr. Joseph Oteri, said the intervention was aimed at improving learning conditions and supporting access to basic education.
He noted that while such responsibilities rest primarily with government, organisations can contribute to addressing immediate needs.
“Ideally, these are government responsibilities. But when those responsibilities are not met, we must step in. What we see here today goes beyond expectations,it is not just intervention, it is transformation,”he said.
Dr. Oteri praised the Galleon Bay Deck for what he described as an extraordinary achievement by one of NAS’s newest branches, noting that the scale of impact far exceeded typical community projects.
The intervention also included the distribution of school uniforms, over 3,000 exercise books, and the rehabilitation and solarization of the school’s water system,creating what educators say is a truly conducive learning environment for the first time in years.
Central to the project’s success is the collaboration with NBRRI, a federal research institution with a long-standing commitment to infrastructure and innovation.
Representing the Director-General, Prof. Samson Duna, the Director of Consultancy and Extension Services, Mr. Daniel Makava, emphasized the institute’s unwavering focus on education and youth empowerment.
“NBRRI does not take education lightly. When the opportunity came to impact these children positively, we did not hesitate. This project reflects our belief that today’s pupils are tomorrow’s leaders,”he said.
He highlighted the institute’s track record across the FCT and beyond, including classroom construction, hostels, and other educational facilities, underscoring that such interventions are integral to its national development mandate.
Speaking on behalf of the Executive Chairman of the FCT Universal Basic Education Board (FCTUBEB), Lady Florence Wenegieme,the Director of Primary School Services, Malam Jibril Danlami, described the project as unprecedented.
“In all my years of service, this is the most gigantic intervention I have witnessed from a non-governmental organization,” he said.
He added: “It is enormous, it is impactful, and it sets a challenge for others to follow.”
He stressed that education remains the cornerstone of sustainable development and warned that infrastructure alone is not enough without proper maintenance.
“This is not just about buildings. It is about inspiring young minds and securing the future. The responsibility now lies with the community to protect and sustain what has been given,”he further said.
The Executive Secretary of the Bwari Local Education Authority, Mr. Tenko Iswa, echoed similar sentiments, describing the intervention as “first of its kind” and emotionally overwhelming.
“We have started seeing the reward of education here on earth. Even government has not done something of this magnitude in this area,”he said.
He called on community leaders and school authorities to take full ownership of the facilities, warning that neglect would undermine the significance of the gesture.
