The free education pronouncement by the Rivers State governor Nyesom Wike from the primary to secondary schools in the state has been applauded by the former Caretaker Committee Chairman of Oyigbo Local Government Area of Rivers State, Hon. Ugochukwu Ejiri.
He stated this over the weekend at Oyigbo in a chat with newsmen shortly after the last month’s sanitation exercise in the state.
The former council boss said the policy will relieve parents a lot especially the indigents ones to send back their children/wards to schools.
He appealed to the governor to go a step forward to equip the schools and as well boast the morale of the teachers to make teaching and learning more attractive.
He also urged the State Chief Executive to equally look into the private schools with a view to not only improving on their infrastructural facilities but to help in reducing the fees charged in line with the Nigerian economy.
According to him, “so many children of school age had dropped out of school due to no fault of theirs. But with this development, the future generation of Nigerians will be empowered as leaders of tomorrow. Again the policy will boast the population of the public schools which in my opinion is a better option than the private schools”, he noted.
On the political situation in Oyigbo, Hon. Ejiri said everywhere is calm and peaceful, adding that they now have one big united political family working together with unity of purpose which he noted, is ready to take the council area to the next level.
On Kom-Kom gas explosion which killed many persons penultimate week, Hon. Ejiri described the development as very sad and unfortunate. He however blamed the victims who knew the 50-50 risk involved before embarking on the venture.
He recalled that similar incidence happened about five (5) years ago which equally claimed over 40 lives, stressing that they should have learnt a lesson from that. On what could have caused the fire outbreak, he said that from unconfirmed report making the rounds, a security agent shot at the oil bunkerers to scare them away but which succeeded in igniting fire on the flowing crude oil.
While not supporting compensation for the victims who are mostly non-indigenes, Hon. Ejiri however welcomed the Police Commission of Enquiry to ascertain the remote and immediate cause of the explosion and how to forestall future re-occurrence.
He used the opportunity to call the federal and state governments as well as the Shell company to show enough concern on the matter in order to clean up the area because of the resultant outbreak of epidemics.
On the auditing of the LG Councils books, he said it was a welcome development as it will make the council chairman sit up to their responsibilities.
