CHINEDU WOSU, YENAGOA
To curb crimes in the Bayelsa State Education sector, the State House of Assembly has expeditiously passed the Education safety Corp bill, 2017 into law. The law is to prevent various crimes in public primary and secondary schools in the state.
Sponsored by the Leader of the House and member representing Sagbama constituency 1, Peter Akpe, the bill seeks to establish an Education Safety Corps to work for protection of equipment and security of pupils, to guard against cultism and kidnapping.
The bill which passed third reading by members was unanimously passed after robust debate on it.
In the bill which is awaiting the assent of Governor Seriake Dickson, the Education Safety Corps will be headed by a retired senior security officer who would serve as State Commandant.
The Corps members who must be between age 18 and 45, are expected to respond promptly, alert the police on crimes, arrest suspects, maintain peace during sports and major events, and perform any other functions.
There would also be Local Government sector coordinators who will work with the police, Department of State Security, Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corp and other security agencies.
Presiding over the plenary on Tuesday, the Speaker, Mr. Konbowei Benson, said the bill was timely because of the resurgence of cultism among the pupils.
Meanwhile, a member representing Kolokuma/Opokuma 2, Mr.Ebiye Tarabina, has defected from All Progressives Grand Alliance APGA to the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP citing internal crisis within his party as a major factor.
The letter of notice concerning the defection was read on the floor of the house during Tuesday’s sitting just as she was openly received by PDP members.
Recall that the Bayelsa State House of Assembly has only three opposition parties in the House, one member of the APC, one Labour Party LP member and one All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, member who has now defected to PDP
