The school authority of Ibuluya/Dikibo-Ama, Okrika Model Primary school has cried out over the decision of the contractor to abandon the ongoing school building project embarked upon by the Rivers State government, describing the situation as a ruthless disregard to the wellbeing of the pupils.
Madam Esther Ifuro Okumgba, Head Mistress (HM) of the school, disclosed this while briefing newsmen in her office last week Tuesday, adding that the situation in which the school building project has been abandoned is quite unfortunate and all efforts she has made to the Universal Basic Education (UBE) officers visiting the school and the state government on the issue since last year yielded no result.
Madam Okumgba also joined the pupils of her school who the state government denied sandals, school uniforms, bags and PE wears, crying for help to change the unfortunate appearance of the school.
In her statement, the HM also lamented that due to the delay of the project the pupils of Ibuluya/Dikibo Ama, Okrika, have been moved to Okrika Grammar School now in control of missionary, for over six months and the OGS missionary school authority has been on her neck to move out of the school on the grounds that the school authority want to use the class rooms occupied by her pupils.
The veteran Head mistress even when briefing newsmen lost confidence on the press to fight the issue for her and the school because according to her, “I have on my own used my salary, writing letters on this issue to the authority concerned and commissioner of education. I have also cried to the local government council boss to use his position and deliver us from this problem, but all these steps yielded no results. So I don’t know if the press can be of any help to this problem that is affecting my pupils and the teachers.”
Attempts to contact the office of the Honourable Commissioner of Education, Dame (Mrs.) Allison on the claims of the HM, proved abortive as the PA, the commissioner’s press secretary could not be seen.
However, madam Okumgba has used the medium to appeal to the state government under the leadership of Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi to employ every workable strategy to remedy the situation and thanked the governor for his pragmatic steps of changing the traditional face of the Model Primary schools in Rivers State. ###
Alakpakabie Tobin
Parliamentary System Of Government Better And Cheaper Than America Presidential System- Hon. Nwachukwu
One of the old brigade politicians, an octogenarian Chief Whip of the erstwhile Eastern Nigeria Regional Government parliament, Sir. (Hon.) Sampson Onyeso Nwachukwu, recently had a brief interview with our man Joe Kalu at a public function on topical issues:
Excerpts:
Can we meet you sir?
Ans: My name is Hon. Sir Sampson Onyeso Nwachukwu, a retired politicians, 89 years old. I hail from Ngor Okpala LGA of Imo state. I and Hon. Lawrence Egu represented Ngo Okpala constituencies at the Eastern Region Parliament while Hon. Nnanna Uka Egbu represented the two constituencies at the federal house. Coincidentally, my brother Hon. Daniel Okereke was the speaker of the Eastern House while I was the chief whip for six years before the army struck in 1966.
I have four children, three boys and a lovely daughter who are all doing fine. God is kind to me and has blessed me richly. God enabled me to give my children sufficient training which laid their foundation.
Then, we had 99% illiterate parents but because of the church we all attended missionary schools and they brought us up in God’s way and grew up as the children of God. That enabled us to develop.
Parents should cherish their children as gift from God and bring them up in the fear of God.
Sir, compare your time and now?
During our time, it was issue based politics and we were in a hurry to develop our different regions. In our time nobody took anything for granted.
At our time, everybody was the monitor of himself and everything was sweet. The Premier of the Eastern Region’s salary was N4,000 per annum. Nothing would make him take one shilling extra unlike what you see these days. When we were in Parliament my salary as a chief whip was N2,000 per annum, no addition except when traveling on official duties, Aba-Enugu (135 miles) one is given one shilling per mile as traveling allowance.
Infact at our time, nobody knew the language corruption. It was unheard of and there was no way one could get corrupt. But now the whole place is gone haywire and no one cares what the other person does. The language now is to grab everything at all cost, the survival of the fittest.
To serve our nation was our commitment but today people are to serve money and I would say that is the difference.
The Leeway out is the British parliamentary system of government. The parliamentary system is much better and cheaper to operate. The introduced American Presidential system of government is very expensive, everything is money.
In the parliament our major interest was service to the nation if you ask me I will suggest we revert to the presidential system of govt.
What about the insecurity in the country?
The issue of insecurity in Nigeria today is complex, especially with the introduction of the terrorist Islamic sec, Boko Haram insurgence.
It is a known fact that we in the Eastern Nigeria belonged to a different country, likewise our Northern and Western Nigeria counterparts. We managed to tolerate each other in our time to continue to be a country. Chief Obafemi Awolowo’s action and utterances for instance did not help matters, but Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe held us firmly for a united Nigeria. Even now I must tell you that Nigeria is operating a regional government through the six geo-political zones except that we have a central government.
Any hope for one indivisible country especially as the nation approaches 100 years of its amalgamation?
With President Goodluck Jonathan on the throne, there is hope of a verile and united nation. Moreover, Nigeria can ill-afford to separate. All that is required is for us to ensure that each group recognizes the other group as their fellow countrymen/women which Jonathan is beginning to do. God is using him to change a lot of anomalies in the country and I am sure by the time he leaves office Nigeria’s image and position in the world would have been restored.
Is there hope for an Eastern Nigeria element to occupy the Aso Rock Seat of government?
Our hope is very much alife. The south-south zone by dint of hardwork and divine intervention are there today. In the interest of one united Nigeria it is good the zoning arrangement is strengthened and properly defined for every zone to test the seat in turns. I would say without fear of contraction that the zoning system by application and implication is still enforce.##
