MINUTES OF THE 2^ND INAUGURAL MEETING OF THE NATIONAL EXECUTIVE COUNCIL OF HOLY TRINITY GRAMMAR SCHOOL SABONGIDDA-ORA, OLD STUDENTS ASSOCIATION, HELD ON THE 14^TH MAY, 2005 AT THE BENIN RECREATION CLUB, BENIN CITY.

ATTENDANCE

1.                  Prince A. M. G. Igiekhume

2.                  Theo Sunny Eboreime

3.                  Hon. Augustine Aigbokhai Evien

4.                  Engr. J. O. Onyegun   -             2^nd National President

5.                  Henry E. Heshaw         -          2^nd National Secretary General

6.                  Mr. J. O. Eboreime

7.                  Mr. S. A. Esezobor

8.                  Mrs. A. B. Akanbi

9.                  Mr. D. V. O. Omoikhoje

10.              Mr. D. I. Unuigboje   -             School Principal

11.              Mr. Noel Adeghe

12.              Prof. P. O. Uadia

COMMENCEMENT

The National President, at 12.50p.m, declared the meeting open Prince A. M. G. Igiekhume said the opening prayers.

APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

Engr. A. O. Emokpae (KSC) Mr. Felix Ahonsi, Engr. I. A. Aikoroje and Mr. Oje Aferhuan sent apologies for absence.

GOODWILL MESSAGE DELIVERED BY THE PRINCIPLA, MR. D. V. O. OMOIKHOJE

In a prepared goodwill message, the Principal, Mr. D. V. O. Omoikhoje wished the New Executive Council purposeful and production tenure.  He advised the New Exco not to spare any effort in reaching out to alumni and alumnae who are richly endowed materially, with a view to helping the new executive actualize her cardinal objectives, by their financial contributions.

The principal said that although, this was not the appropriate time to bore the new Exco with a catalogue of problems, yet he felt urged to point out certain steps which must be urgently taken to complement the efforts of Co. Solomon Giwa-Amu who, with his friends, built and donated an ultra modern library complex to the school.  He therefore made the following suggestion:

To employ the services of a technician to install the computers donated by Col. Solomon Giwa-Amu and his friends.

1.         To employ a qualified Librarian to man the library

2.         To provide 24 ceiling fans for use in the library.

3.         Provide a generator of about 15KVA to act as standby in case of any power outage.

4.         To engage the services of security guards to protect the equipment in the  library.

5.         To make provision for the running cost of the generator.

It was decided that the principal should involve both the PTA and other external ushers of the library in formulating a policy for the collection of token payments as their contribution towards the maintenance of the generator.

Hon. Aigbokhai Evien informed the house that there was Youth Corper Engineer deployed to his Council, Owan West Local Government, whose services he would employ to install the computers.  He was then asked to find out from the corper how much he would charge to install the computers.

PROVISION OF CEILING FANS

The following members pledged to provide ceiling fans as, herewith, indicated against their names:-

1.         Mr. Noel Adeghe                                 -                       5 Ceiling Fans

2.         Prince A. M. G. Igiekhume                   -                       5 Ceiling Fans

3.         Mr. Mr. S. A. Esezobor                        -                       3 Ceiling Fans

4.         Mr. Theo Sunny Eboreime                    -                       2 Ceiling Fans

5.         Engr. Isaac A. Aikoroje                        -                       6 Ceiling Fans

6.         Hon. Aigbokhai Evien               -                       3 Ceiling Fans

7.         Prof. P. O. Uadia                                 -                       2 Ceiling Fans.

Total                                                                -                       26 Nos.

BOREHOLE PROJECT, THE WAY FORWARD

The President informed the House that there would soon be light at the end of the tunnel regarding potable water supply to the school.  He said he had gone to see Engr. Ade Edeki, who is an expert in this field, to discuss the possibility of reactivating the failed borehole project.  He said he was glad to inform the house that Engr. Ade Edeki confirmed to him that UNICE would soon, in conjunction with the state government, implement a water scheme for Sabongidda-Ora and that he, Engr. Ade Edeki made sure that HTGS would definitely be a beneficiary of the proposed water scheme.  This development brought great relief to the house, thus putting behind us the harrowing experience members went through during the execution of the failed borehole project. The principal informed the House that the 1963 year set had sunk a ring well to the depth of 45ft and was in the process of installing all the necessary accessories to make the well functional.

HANDING OVER OF SCHOOLS BY GOVERNMENT

On the information that the Anglican Mission had planned to transfer the management of the school to a private entrepreneur after it had taken over the school, the principal told the House that the Ora Community was vehemently opposed tot he intention of the Anglican Mission.  The principal further told the House that it would appear that the State Government was no longer keen on the handing over of school to their former owners.  He said that government seemed to have shifted emphasis to the breaking up of schools into Junior and Senior Secondary Schools.  He confirmed that HTGS had already been affected by this policy. NEC concurred with the position of the Ora community on the handing over of schools. NEC decided to find out more information about Govt’s rationale on the splitting of the school.

STATE INFRASTRUCTURES IN HTGS

The president, Engr. J. O. Oyegun, asked the principal whether there were still other problems besetting the state of infrastructure in the school.  The principal replied that there were problems of the renovation of dilapidated classroom blocks.  He informed the House, that the Lagos branch had promised to renovate the SS1 block, while the Benin branch members had earlier indicated their preparedness to renovate the SS2 block.  The House was further told that 1963 year set, who sank a ring well in the school, had also indicated their wish to renovate the old principal’s office.

The principal drew the attention of the House to the old principal’s residence, which was also begging for renovation.  The President assured the house that the problems highlighted by the Principal would be prioritized, and tackled.  He therefore implore members who had made pledges to redeem such pledges, without further delay, so as to have sufficient funds to execute the projects highlighted by the principal.

REACHING OUT TO OLD STUDENTS

The National President frowned at the attitude of some old students who would not attend meetings when they were invited.  He, however, said that such old students would be reached in other to ask them to make donations towards the purchase of the generator even though they would not honour invitations to meetings.

Mr. Noel Adeghe informed the House that Dr. Enobakhare, an alumnus, who lives in the UK, was working very hard to sensitize old students residing in the UK to contribute their quota to the development of our Alma mater.

The president told the House that members of the Abuja branch of our Association, under the chairmanship of Mr. I. K. Alafo, were ready and anxious to make their contribution to the development of our Alma mater. He said that he got in touch with them, and that he was sure they would attend the next meeting at Sabongidda-Ora.

Mr. S. A. Esezobor spoke on the need to rejuvenate the Auchi and Ekpoma branches to this end, it was decided that both Sir Ohimai F. Eboreme, Rector Federal Polytechnic Auchi, and Prof. Sampson Remison of A. A. U Ekpoma, be contacted to solicit their assistance in the rejuvenation endeavour.  It was also decided to solicit the assistance of Prof. Sam Ifiodon of A.A.U Ekpoma, on how to effectively manage the ultra modern library complex at H.T.G.S

OPENING OF WEBSITE

The president told the House that it was the intention of the new executive to open a website on the internet.  He, therefore, requested members to contribute articles and write-ups on the history of HTGS.

FINANCE

The president informed the House that the present executive inherited an empty treasury form the erstwhile administration, and therefore sued for financial support from members.  He remarked that without money it would be impossible to manage the affairs of the Association successfully.  He therefore appealed to branches to comply with the existing arrangement by remitting 40% of their monthly subscription and membership fees to the National secretariat.  He also reminded branches of the resolution passed by the former Exco, to the effect, that the sum of N10,000:00 should be remitted to the National Exco by each branch as running cost.  It was however observed that only the Benin, Home and Lagos branches had paid the said N10,000:00 to the former Exco.

The president was mandated to open a current account with NNB Internatinal, and that any of the two principal officers vis: the president, secretary and treasurer should be signatories to the account.

OBITUARY

The House was informed of the passing of the following members:

1.                 Dr. D. A. Otabor of Benin Branch

2.                 Mr. Imohimi Irere of Lagos Branch

3.         The death of the mother of the Benin Branch Chairman, Mr. Noel Adeghe, was also announced.  May their paths in the beyond be smoothed by luminious helpers.

ADJOURNMENT

In the absence of any other business, Mr. J. A. Eboreime moved a motion for adjournment, Mr. S. A. Esezobor seconded the motion.  Mr. J. A. Eboreime said the closing prayers.  The meeting came to a close at 2.20p.m. The next meeting was fixed for 6^th August, 2005 at Sabongidda-Ora.

Engr. J. Oyegun                                               

National President                                                     

Henry E. Henshaw

National Secretary General