Abia Senator meet with governor

Senators representing Abia students in all Institutions in Nigeria have met with Governor T. A. Orji to seek an everlasting end to myriads of the students’ challenges. Emmanuel Ahanonu, Corps member, Enugu, was there.

 In view of numerous challenges facing students of Abia origin, Senators representing them in various Higher Institutions across the federation met recently in government House Umuahia to seek an ultimate end to it with their governor, Chief T. A. Orji (Ochendo Global).

The session which was attended by more than 50 Senators began about 3pm penultimate Friday. The senators however are the Presidents of National Association of Abia State Students NAASS in various Higher Institutions across the federation or their representatives.

Declaring the session open, the National Senator President Comr. Christian Ifebu Nkumah who was accompanied by the National President Comr. Ihedigbo Uchenna noted that the impromptu session was rare one which they have opportunity to have the state Governor in their midst for the first time. While charging all the Senators to conduct themselves during the session, said that the opportunity is in their hand to table all the issues they have been tabling to the National Executive all the while.

Introducing the Governor’s representative, the erstwhile National President of NAASS Comr. Jude Ezeibe noted that the Governor in his usual humane attitude cannot give a deft ear to students’ issues and burdens and thus has sent Mr. Nkwachukwu Agomuo the Permanent Secretary of the state to represent him.

The National Senate President suggested boycotting some protocols including the official introduction of Senators present to save the Perm.Sec time but the perm sec taught otherwise and said that the governor will like to spend sufficient time with the students for that day to know the detail of their challenges as well as fix time to be meeting with them more often subsequently. He therefore charged the Senators to feel free to marshal out all their challenges in expectation that the government will see to it.

Sen. S. O. Daniel Representing Alvan Ikoku College of Education told the Governor that all is not well. He said that their major challenge is on mobility as his branch has no vehicle that will be conveying them for movements, thus, hampering their full participation in Abia students’ movements. He recounted how some of their students had accident recently in a public vehicle while going back to their school at night after meeting. He added that his executive has to go borrowing N50,000 to save the life of the victim as the National Executive they ran to claimed they had nothing in their pocket.

As for Miracle Chukwu, the Vice President of Abia State University Uturu ABSU, she came to inform the governor how grateful they are for two things: the last bursary of N50,000 each student and recently government launched 20% discount in school charges of students of Abia origin. She finally reminded the governor that they will still be more grateful if he remembers his promise of making the bursary a yearly gesture.

But Sen. Chimobi Okorafor of UNIZIK argued that the acclaimed bursary gesture was lopsided as many schools including his were never considered. He added that some branch presidents are having a tough time with their subjects as the bursary has been aired to have been paid to all Abia students. He equally pointed that the mobility issue is also affecting his branch. He summed by begging the Governor to aid the National Executive to build a secretariat for NAASS in Umuahia to relief them off the burden of hiring or staying in inconducive environment to do their meetings.

University of Nigeria Nsuka UNN representative Veronica Kalu and her UNILAG counterpart believed that their own branches seemed to have been particularly forgotten. according to them, Enugu and Lagos state governments seem to be taking care of their students more than our own government. Veronica said “we know that our government has us at heart, but let us feel the impact in all ramification”. she also pointed out that women have even been relegated because of lack of motivation and call on the government to start empowering students with special emphasis on the female folks.

Drama ensued in the House as Sen. Kalu Chukwuemeka informed his Excellency that the Senators want to know if the National Executive have received special package from the government because PPA leadership in the state recently gave them a new brand and crested bus with the Union’s name but they refused it, just as APGA is also coming with their own offer. He said that the NAASS National leadership refused the offer claiming to be non partisan and to always seek advice from their grand-patron who is the governor of the state.

As the Perm Sec was about to respond to the above issues raised, Sen. Emeka Obasi representing Unical called the attention of the Government to the impersonation of National President of NAASS by one he identified as Kalu. he said that such is not only dwindling the fortune of the Association but posing threat to smooth operationalization of the Association and polarizing its leadership. He called on the government to arrest the situation before it degenerate as many desperate politicians are already using the said boy to make announcements of political party adoption on behalf of NAASS to the chagrin of Senators. In light of the above, Senators present suggested government assistant to produce a computerize and sealed Identification Card that the government will used to recognize the real leadership of the body.

The Perm Sec in his response noted that all the issues emanated as a result of gap in communication. He solicited for all the Senators to calm from their indignations noting that the government of T. A. Orji is a government that respect and response to students yawning. He promised to take care of the accidents victims’ bills. He also promised that the government will look into the mobility issues.

His words “in mobilization, i am also not feeling good that nothing has been done yet, i will take it to His Excellency. we will work towards providing at least a vehicle. We will liaise with the National Executives”. On Bursary issue, he said that the drop in oil price really affected the government budget including the bursary which was intended to be an annually. He however added that government is all about continuity and this administration is expecting that the students will support Dr. Ikpeazu Okezie who will not fail to continue on the gesture of N50,000 bursary for each Abia student.

On secretariat building, His Excellency said that the students should start somewhere for the time being. He therefore advised them to look up a place around Umuahia that can be rented, “we will help take care of the bills”. He also charged NAASS to go through all media apparatus available to distance themselves from the acclaimed student Kalu who voted and inaugurated himself alone. He finally charged NAASS leadership to be focused and never allow any politician to confuse them with gift or any other inducement. He summed that “we may not have all the resources but we have the goodwill”

Responding for all the Senators, NAASS National Senator President informed the perm Sec that the Senators and the subjects has unanimously adopted some candidates for the forthcoming election including Goodluck Ebele Jonathan for President, Okezie Ikpeazu for Abia Governor and Ochendo Global for Senate Abia Central

Abia Senator meet with governor