Abia Students Pass Vote Of No Confidence On Gov. Ikpeazu, Others | READ DETAILS
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Students under the aegis, ‘Free Abia Movement’ have passed a vote of no confidence on the Executive Governor of Abia state, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu owing to issues bordering on de-accreditation of the state owned institutions of learning, strike and non-payment of salaries.
The vote of no confidence comes on the heel of the recent de-accreditation of the Abia State Polytechnic Aba, by the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE). READ HERE
Declaring its no confidence vote on the governor, the students in a press release co-signed by Comrade Ibeh prince Progress (Chairman, students of free Abia movement) and Comrade Pastor Joy Achara (Secretary), noted that news of the Polytechnic losing it’s accreditation, came as a huge shock to them as the Abia State University Teaching Hospital (ABSUTH), lost its medical accreditation few months back. READ HERE
The students expressed worry that the fate of their colleagues in Abia State College of Education (Technical) Arochukwu, “is hanging in the balance as the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE), may wield the big stick on the institution.”
According to Free Abia Movement, the crisis facing the education sector in the state is owed to ” the insensitivity of ALL THE ELECTED LEADERS in the State House of assembly and this PDP-Led administration in Abia State.”
The student also lamented Federal Government’s negligence of students who have been out of school as a result of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) strike.
READ THE FULL PRESS RELEASE BELOW:
Text for Press Conference by the Students of Free Abia Movement
Distinguished gentlemen of the press, Student Union leaders from various schools, fellow agonized Nigerian students Ladies and gentlemen It is with a heart full of pains and agony that I address this press conference. We woke up on Wednesday, July 19th to the shocking news that Abia State Polytechnic, the only state-owned polytechnic, has been stripped of its recognition. This is following the de-accreditation of the institution by the National Board for Technical Education, NBTE. Nothing could be as shocking as this to me and to all students of the polytechnic. Not long ago, the same fate befell Abia State University Teaching Hospital, ABSUTH whose accreditation was also withdrawn by the Nigerian Medical and Dental Council. As we speak, the fate of the students of Abia State College of Education (Technical) Arochukwu, is hanging in the balance as the National Commission for Colleges of Education may wield the big stick on the institution. This is as a result of the insensitivity of ALL THE ELECTED LEADERS in the State House of assembly and this PDP-Led administration in Abia State.It is also no news that university students have been at home for the past five months with little or nothing being done by ALL THE ELECTED LEADERS in the federal government to resolve the impasse with university teachers. The current strike will make it 16 months lecturers will spend on strike since 2015. This means that since 1999, Nigerian university teachers have been on strike for 64 months. The case of the primary and post-primary schools teachers in Abia State is no different as the teachers cannot remember when last they were paid. The situation is so bad that the JSS 3 students could not write their transition examination into the senior secondary on schedule, while the Primary 6 pupils are not sure of writing their terminal examination because of teachers’ strike. What a shame!Nothing could be as shameful as the fact that it is only in Abia State that lecturers are being owed such a mountainous arrears of salaries. Permit me to give us a breakdown of how the salary arrears stand in the various state-owned institutions of learning in Abia State. Abia State Polytechnic lecturers and non-academic staff are owed 37 months (over 3 years). Abia State College of Education lecturers and other staff are owed over 39 months of salaries. Abia State University staff are owed 10 months, while the same is the case of the staff of Abia State College of Health and Management Sciences. The implications of the withdrawal of the accreditation status of Abiapoly and ABSUTH are injurious in several ways. It means that the years students have spent in these schools will end in vain. While Abiapoly final-year students will not be called up for the national youth service, the final year medical students of Abia State University medical school can neither go for their housemanship nor be admitted as medical doctors after 7 solid years of tortuous journey through school. What can be as disheartening as this?Several lecturers of these institutions have died as a result of curable illnesses because they could not afford basic medical care. They neither had the money to go to private hospitals, and could not go to government hospitals because none is functioning in the state. The lecturers who have managed to be alive either live at the mercy of friends or survive through exploiting students. In the end, we, the students, are at the receiving end of it all. The situation has become unbearable for us. We will condone this no more. It is time for us to take our destinies in our own hands and tell these leaders that enough is enough. We hereby pass a vote of no confidence in the Governor of Abia State, Dr Okezie Victor Ikpeazu for having FAILED US and our education system in the state.
We extend the same no-confidence vote to ALL ELECTED AND CURRENTLY SERVING OFFICIALS in the state and federal government of Nigeria for its insensitivity to the plight of Nigerian students. It is ridiculous that in a futile face- meding effort, the management of Abia State Polytechnic has ordered students to pull down all posts made by them condemning the insensitivity of the government that resulted in the de-recognition of the school on their social media, while promising that the government of the state would do something urgently to salvage the situation. One would ask why they have done nothing for the past seven years to address the problem. We have been fooled enough. They can no longer deceive us anymore. We have lost confidence in them. In view of the above, I hereby call on all Abia and Nigerian students at large to take the following measures:Ensure that all those who have been in power and have contributed to the pitiable state of things in Abia are voted out of power.Collectively vote as a bloc in the forthcoming general election, and vote out all inept leaders in the state and national assembly for being complicit in the mis-governance of Abia State. Vote out ALL ELECTED LEADERS CURRENTLY SITTING IN THE STATE AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENT since it is clear that they have worsened the state of things in the country.Vote only for those who have demonstrated commitment to improve education in Abia State. Get your PVCs to vote for competent people.
Signed: Students of Free Abia Movement
Signed:
Comr Ibeh prince progress
Chairman students of free Abia movement
Comr pst. Joy Achara
SEC
