WASCE: We Must not Jeopardise our Children's Future - Abia

Our attention has been drawn to the lingering sit-at-home reportedly endorsed and illegally enforced by a group of hoodlums hiding under the identity of agitators in the southeast region to cause chaos in the State.

We wish to state categorically that it is unacceptable to allow any individual or group to instil fear in our people to the extent of negatively impacting the education of our innocent school children who are billed to write the compulsory English examination of the West African School Certificate Examination (WASCE) on Monday, 13th September and Tuesday, 14th September, and on the rights of other law abiding citizens. 

In a Statement on Monday 13 Sept 2021 by John Okiyi Kalu State Commisisoner For Information, the Government said While we do not begrudge any citizen the right to sit at home or go about their normal duties, as long as it does not infringe on the rights of others.

We cannot afford to sit idly and watch the future of our children jeopardized and the economic well-being of our people further wrecked over a matter we believe can be resolved judicially or through political negotiations. We cannot continue to cut our nose to spite our face! 

The government advice parents to ensure that their children go to the examination centres for their papers while teachers and examination supervisors are to ensure the protection of the children before, during and after the examinations. 

The government also encouraged Citizens to go about their normal duties without fear of molestation as necessary measures have been put in place to protect them. 

The government also advised citizens to report any individual or group that attempts to harass, molest, intimidate or stop law abiding citizens, especially our school children, from exercising their constitutionally guaranteed freedom of movement to the police through the following numbers: 08035415405, 08079210003, 0807921000 and 08079210005. 

The Statement also added that, the leaders of all market and transport unions in the state are hereby advised to ensure that markets are open and transport vehicles deployed by their members for regular activities on Monday and beyond unless otherwise advised by Government. 

Adding that, any market that is closed or transport union that fails to operate will be closed and disbanded, respectively, by government till further notice. 

All security agencies in the state are hereby directed to fully deploy at all flash points on Monday and going forward as well as maintain regular patrols to ensure the safety and protection of law abiding citizens and visitors from any form of molestation.