Alex Otti of Abia State has solicited the cooperation of all stakeholders to join hands with the government to restore education to its former glory.
Governor Otti made the call while speaking at the Centenary Thanksgiving Service of the Uzuakoli Methodist College Old Boys Association (UMCOBA) on Sunday as part of activities marking the 100th Anniversary of Secondary School Education in the South East of Nigeria.
“The task of restoring the glory of education in the state is quite demanding and the state does not have sufficient resources to accomplish all that we have set up to achieve. This is where every one of us including captains of industry, and philanthropists must all step in to assist in the comprehensive resuscitation project in the educational sector, Otti said.
He also said that education was not only critical but central to development, adding that it was for that reason that his government committed itself to returning education to the front burner.
He disclosed that his administration had already sunk billions of naira into the rehabilitation of public schools in the state, disclosing that about 17 primary schools and 17 secondary schools in the State were currently undergoing rehabilitation under the first phase of the programme.
He assured that the rehabilitation of schools would expand to all public schools in the state together with upgrading the school curriculum.
The Abia State governor said he was prepared to engage the Uzuakoli Methodist College, Uzuakoli, to identify areas of collaboration in rebuilding and restoring the institution.
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He commended the evangelism approach of the Methodist Church, Nigeria which involved social investments including the schools, hospitals, centre for a cure for leprosy and rehabilitation of mentally ill individuals among others and stressed the need for other churches to emulate it.
Otti appreciated the hospitality of Uzuakoli community and the efforts of the Old Boys which contributed to the success recorded in the last 100 years which he said has been rewarding.
“I want to specially thank the Old Boys Association of UZUMECO ably led by Mazi Ugochukwu Okoroafor and all others before him for all they have done to keep the spirit and values of this institution alive, especially in the years when the government shamefully turned its back on the educational sector. The historic land of Uzuakoli also deserves our deepest gratitude on a day like this for its traditional hospitality,” he said.
Ugochukwu Okoroafor, national president of the Association and also Special Adviser to Governor Otti on Monitoring and Evaluation, earlier in his address, said that the college had provided a formidable pool of human resources whose contributions had been legendary. He thanked Governor Alex Otti for appointing over seven of their members in various positions of trust.
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Okoroafor said that the Methodist College Old Boys were now in the process of rebuilding the college and appealed to the governor to assist them in achieving their dreams.
The Prelate, Methodist Church Nigeria, Oliver Ali Aba represented by the Secretary of Conference, Babatunde Taiwo commended the governor for the ongoing rehabilitation of many roads in Umuahia, the state capital and encouraged him to consider fixing internal roads in the college in commemoration of the 100 years anniversary of the college.
The event, which attracted many dignitaries including the wife of the Governor Priscilla Otti, a former Governor of Cross River State Donald Duke, Methodist Archbishop of Umuahia the Chibuzo Opoko, Old Boys from all walks of life featured the unveiling of the college’s master plan, planting of the centenary tree by the governor, commissioning of a renovated hall by the governor and music display by an Old Boy and popular gospel artiste BUCHI as well as award presentation to octogenarians in their midst, while a minute silence was observed in honour of the Old Boys who have departed to the great beyond.
