As children all over the country celebrate this year’s Children Day on Wednesday, May 27, the Chairman of the Rivers State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Prince Felix Obuah, has joined other well-meaning Nigerians to congratulate the children, wishing them successful celebration and also assuring them of better days ahead as the incoming Government of Rivers state settles down after inauguration on May 29, 2015.
The Rivers PDP Chairman expressed gratitude to God over the life of the children in the face of the avoidable harsh conditions brought on them and their parents in the State by the outgoing government under Rotimi Amaechi, believing that God has heard their prayers with the enthronement of the listening, action-sensitive and result-oriented administration of the PDP.
Obuah wished the children happy celebration and called on them to continue to be obedient, respectful and exhibit peaceful disposition, good virtue and endowed talents at home, in school and in the larger society so that the State and the nation will be proud of them.
He admonished them as future leaders to shun all acts capable of destroying their tomorrow today.
Prince Obuah used the occasion of this year’s Children Day Celebration to assure Rivers children, pupils and students that the education sector will be top priority of the PDP led government in the State, reiterating the readiness of the party to ensure that Civil Servants’, including teachers’ salaries are paid as at when due, and that the dearth in the sector is addressed drastically to boost the educational development of the children.
In a statement by his Special Adviser on Media, Jerry Needam, the chairman said that the PDP viewed the pains brought on innocent children and students in the State as a result of the denial of payment of salaries to their teachers and guardians, who are civil or public servants in the State by the Amaechi-led government, as avoidable, unnecessary and undeserving, and therefore, condemnable.
While also condemning the present collapse in all sectors, including Education in the State, the PDP particularly frowned at the destruction of most public schools, absence of equipped libraries and laboratories, as well as lack of befitting study environment in the schools and genuine investment in the training and acquisition of knowledge in the State.
He also condemned the outgoing government for shutting down the State-owned Nne Kurukurobo Model Secondary School, Eleme, thereby keeping the students at home for over one year now for no justifiable reason, calling on Gov. Amaechi and the outgoing Commissioner for Education, Alice Nimi, to explain to Rivers people genuine cause(s) for shutting down the school, and to apologize to the students and their parents for failure of government in that regard.
Obuah also assured the people of the State of the determination of the Chief Nyesom Wike-led government to revamp the education sector with the provision of teaching aids in the classrooms, payment of teachers’ salaries promptly, payment of bursary to the students, offer of scholarship to deserving Rivers Students, and equipping of the schools with quality facilities, irrespective of the level and location of the institutions in the State.
