Youths Demand Improved Security, Quality Education In Abia State

Abia youths under the umbrella body of Progressive Abia Youths (PAY) are advocating for better security network, quality education and infrastructural development schemes for residents of the state.

The youths drawn across the 17 Local Government Areas of the State expressed dissatisfaction that the projects executed by the governor are not enough, stating that Abia has the worst internal roads in the entire South East.

The group during an interactive session with journalists in Umuahia the state capital over the weekend, demanded for improved service delivery from the state government.

According to them, the major challenges facing the people of the State include irregular payment of salaries, pensions and gratuity to government workers and retirees.

Others include insecurity, poor road network within the state, lack of quality education, improper waste management, youth unemployment and drug abuse among teenagers in the state.

PAY in a communique which was read by its President General, Mr Ekejiuba Daberechi Kingsley, insisted that residents of Abia deserve better service delivery from those in the executive and legislative arms of government.

He acknowledged the role quality education plays in the economic,
social, and infrastructural development of developing countries in building capacity,
improving quality of life, and preparing future generations for the challenges that lie ahead.

However, he regretted that the neglect and low budgetary allocation to the educational sector in the state has left students with no meaning impact.

The communique reads: “The primary and secondary schools in the school are perpetually moribund, majority of them are understaffed, while others are completely dilapidated.

“As a result, we urge the state government to declare a state of
emergency in all the state-owned schools in a bid to tackle this issue and restore the pride of our public education sector before the end of the current administration.

“We request that the school feeding program, gulping hundreds of millions of our revenue, be
suspended and the resources be channeled to the payment of teachers’ salaries. It
doesn’t make sense to feed school children when their teachers are owed. The school is not
an eatery; it’s a place for learning and the priority is on education, not eating or feeding as you call it.

“We appreciate the efforts of the government and the Commissioner of Police in curbing the menace of insecurity that has bedeviled our state.

“We commiserate with the
families that have lost their loved ones, those that have been forced to pay ransoms for their kidnapped relatives, and those that have been rendered helpless by the unfortunate incidence in Lokpanta. Umunneochi, Isuikwuato and Ohafia have been under siege and the government has done little to salvage the situation; other LGAs
suffer similar fates.

“We condemn in strong terms the kidnapping of the Methodist
Prelate, students, medical doctors, and the recent killing of more than eight youths in Ohafia.

“On the premise of verified data and evidence, we discovered that the major reason why these issues persist is because our security system is insufficient. Abia
State is being under policed.

“How do you explain the fact that some LGAs in Abia, with over
90,000 people, have fewer than five well-equipped police stations? We call on Abia State legislators at the National Assembly to support the State Police bill sponsored
by Hon. Onofiok Luke and ensure that state police is moved from the exclusive to the
concurrent list. Let the State Governors be given the power to police their State so that the people can hold them accountable.”