In furtherance of efforts at consolidating the subsisting bilateral relations between Nigeria and Haiti, the Federal Government of Nigeria has completed the construction of Benoit Batraville High School located in Saut-D’eau, Haiti.
The project, initiated as Nigeria’s response to the 7.3 magnitude earthquake that devastated Haiti in 2010, was supported by well- meaning Nigerians and the Red Cross Society.
It would be recalled that the project was suspended in 2015 due to unforeseen circumstances but rejuvenated by the Nigerian Government through its High Commission in Jamaica that is concurrently accredited to Haiti in 2022
The mission after satisfying due process requirements, awarded the contract to a Jamaican based Benson Construction Company. Despite all odds including security challenges in Haiti, the project commenced in February 2023 and was completed in record time by 23rd of August, 2023.
The building was handed over to the Haitian Authorities on 29th August 2023, while the handover was ongoing speeches and goodwill messages were delivered via zoom by top Government Functionaries of both countries.
In attendance was Nigeria’s High Commissioner to Jamaica with concurrent accreditation to Haiti, Dominican Republic and Belize; H.E Amb. Maureen Tamuno,
Minister of Education Haiti; Mr Nesmy Manigat,
Director General, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Haiti, representing the Minister of Foreign Affairs Haiti;Mr Azad Belfort, and senior government officials from Haiti
In her remarks, H.E Maureen Tamuno applauded the bilateral relations between both countries, and expressed delight at the delivery of the project. She expressed her thanks to God for seeing her team through and seized the opportunity to thank the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria H.E. Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his renewed hope agenda and commitment to strengthening bilateral relations, She also thanked the Minister of foreign affairs H. E Yusuf Tuggar and his Haitian counterpart H.E Monsieur Jean Victor GENEUS. Nesmy Manigat, Minister of Education, Haiti, and the Municipal Council of Saut-D’eau for their support and cooperation to the Project. She also enjoined the students and teachers to make good use of the excellent edifice delivered and expressed her willingness to re-visit Haiti soon.
The Nigerian top diplomat used the opportunity to advocate and urge stakeholders, most especially the United Nations, to assist with returning normalcy to Haiti.
The Haiti officials thanked the Nigerian government for this landmark project, they emphasised that without the government of Nigeria it would have been impossible.
The Minister for foreign affairs Haiti represented by the Director of Foreign Affairs, Mr Azad Belfort expressed his gratitude to the Nigerian Government for their benevolence and to Amb Maureen Tamuno, for working tirelessly for the actualization of this Landmark project. He emphasised the close ties Nigeria and Haiti share through descendants of the Igbo community from Nigeria. He stated in his remarks that the establishment of the school will strengthen the diplomatic ties between both countries.
The Minister of Education, Haiti, Mr Nesmy Manigat expressed so much gratitude to Amb. Maureen Tamuno Ph.D and the Nigeria Government for fulfilling their promise. In his words “I was there in 2015 as Minister of Education, Haiti, a lot has happened. We have come a long way , despite the educational and security challenges in my country Haiti including problems of infrastructure despite all today , under Her Excellency Maureen Tamuno, Nigeria has Delivered. We are indeed very thankful for the school project”. He stated that this will go a long way to further strengthen the bonds of co-operation and bilateral relations. He reiterated that it was very important and timely for a small community like Saut -d’eau to have a public building of that level which in his words is the envy of others.
DETAILS OF AREA
The School’s property is 12,500 square meters
(134, 548.9 SQUARE FEET).
BUILDING
The size of the building is IS 9,411 square meters (32,000 square feet) BY 4.5 Meters (15 Feet) High.
FENCE
The Perimeter fence is 1,250 square meters.
The Building consists of the following:
The Administration block (The principal/Vice, Secretary area, Stationary/Printing room and a Restroom
16 nos standard size classrooms.
The Staff Room/Restroom
The Canteen
The Computer Lab.
The Storage room for the school
The Auxiliary workers restroom
The building operations control room (For the Electricals and Plumbing operations)
3# Double Entrance Doors and 2#Double Exits Doors
The school consists of two playground areas:
The standard football field at the back of the building and the area allotted for auxiliary sports like basketball, volleyball, etc
THE AUDITORIUM:
New Four classrooms/Auditorium (These four classrooms are built to accommodate both classrooms and auditorium with mechanically collapsible wooden walls), flooring, walls and roof slabs, and drainages.