The Abia State Government has constituted a special committee to recover all encumbered public schools in the state.
The Committee which is headed by the Chief of staff to the Governor, Pastor Caleb Ajagba, has the Commissioner for Education, Prof. Uche Eme Uche as Secretary and Honourable Commissioners for Justice, Lands and Housing, Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, GM UCDA, GM GADA as well as the Chief Security Officer to the Governor as members.
Briefing news men on the outcome of this week’s State Executive Council, the Commissioner for Information and Culture, Prince Okey Kanu said the committee is saddled with the task of identifying about 180 public schools whose land has been taken over by officials and cronies of the immediate past administration.
According to him, government would not tolerate the greed and mindless impunity by a privileged few who have surreptitiously taken over lands belonging to government schools. He equally condemned the misuse of schools handed back to different organizations stressing that such schools must be used exclusively for educational purposes.
“The state government has equally condemned the misuse and misapplication of schools that have been handed over to different organizations.
Prince Kanu said that a full diagnostic assessment of the educational sector of the state has been conducted, adding that about 12, 000 teachers in public schools will undergo a capacity building program during the summer to prepare them for the emergent new look schools that government would have from September.
He equally announced that work has commenced at the Federal College of Education, Ofeme, Umuahia North LGA, fully supported by the Abia State Government, adding that the state government has supported the college to secure an office at the Okpara round about for a smooth take off of activity.
Prince Kanu warned that henceforth, those driving without vehicle number plates or hooded number plates would be apprehended and punished accordingly by security agencies.
