By Victor Nwegede
Member representing Abakaliki-Izzi Federal Constituency, Chief Sylvester Ogbaga has expressed worry over the continual decline of educational sector in Ebonyi State and other parts of Nigeria.
Ogbaga said the country has not be able to fully implement budgets meant for the sector since 2015 and consequently, many educational institutions have continued to be in a gory structure.
He made the observation while interacting with newsmen at his country home, Amegu in Abakaliki Local Government Area of Ebonyi State on 2020 Christmas day, identifying his major priorities to include reformation of educational, electoral and local government systems as a lawmaker.
His words: "Initially, my concern was on education. You know education is decaying in this state. At this era, pupils still sit under mango trees to study. Some sit under gmelina trees and rest of them to study. Pupils still sit at the floor to study. It is narrative by God's willing, I pray for change. I have done this by building so many blocks of classrooms in different schools. At the present situation, the country has not be able to fully implement their budgets begining from 2015 to date.
"We decided, since there are other options because if you have a little intervention to these, and put it on project, sometime, it's not implemented.
"We decided to look at the empowerment of the youths and women, the programmes that will educate women on domestic violence and other vices in the society. The way women should look at what their children are doing and give them the necessary corrections before it becomes late. Those were my priorities.
"Local government is also my matter. That is where I started. Today, in some states in the country, local government chairmen sign resignation letter without date and anytime, they felt they erred, the government of that place will announce that he had resigned and he is removed. In so many places, it is happening. The laws of the local government have been badly bastardized and misinterpreted. I think by God's willing, amendment of the 1999 Constitution which has been severally amended will tackle some of these issues especially the electoral and local government laws."
The Federal lawmaker commended the 9th National Assembly which according to him, is committed to put everything in the right frame as he urged judiciary to intensify effort to save the dignity of the profession by stopping foul plays beclouding the political system of the country and other areas demanding its service.
"Sincerely, the present 9th National Assembly is working hard to right all the wrongs in Ebonyi State and by God's willing the State Assembly will support what they are doing to bring reality to our people, otherwise, it has just been a comfluage, and rules of law are undermined in the state.
"I also call on the judiciary to rise up to their duties and save the dignity of their profesion because they have really dealt with themselves in so many issues where people will win election and somebody who came fourth in the election will be declared winner. It is killing the democracy and you have to correct it.
"It's everybody's business, which means, the three tiers of the government, should put hands on deck to make sure that these changes are affected to save our democracy, otherwise, we are going back to military rule," he added.
He called on Nigerians particularly Ebonyi people to support PDP, saying the party is determined for the real change, not the next level in 2023.
He said nothing would make him to leave PDP for another party, saying that the constitution of the country grants everybody the right to belong any political party of his or her choice, and however, called for strictly observance of the rules of law by the leaders.
He therefore, congratulated his people for surviving the scourges of Coronavirous in 2020, thanked them for being behind him and other leaders serving them in different offices; assured them of his continuous support to the building of the state, wishing all and sundry a prosperous new year.
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