Wike introduces ‘special intervention scheme’ for Rivers’ mission schools
Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike has announced the introduction of what he describes as ‘special financial intervention’ for the development of Mission Schools, which the state government had handed back to their original Church owners.
The decision is said to stem from a discovery by the government that most of the schools it returned to their original mission owners are in great states of disrepair.
Years back, Rivers, along with some other states in the country handed back dozens of schools (mostly secondary) to their initial owner Christian Missionary groups, after they (state governments) had snapped up the schools in late 1970s, in a wave of ‘nationalization of education.’ But after over three decades of running them as state schools, the same governments were again in a new rush to offload them, apparently to lessen their rising financial burden of running the institutions.
Addressing church leaders during an interactive session at the Government House, Port Harcourt on Friday, the governor said he had directed the State Education Commissioner and his Special Adviser on Religious Matters to liaise with the owners of Missionary schools (in the state) to work out modalities for an intervention scheme.
The governor charged the Church leaders to ensure they present a united front as they work towards creating the right environment for the development of the schools.
It is not known yet how much the government would allocate to each Mission School in the state. Their number was yet unknown as at the time of going to press.
He also announced the establishment of an economic development fund for church members in the state.
“This economic development fund will assist church members with health and business challenges, to get back to their feet. It is like a social scheme that will assist indigent church members in these trying times. It is not meant to build churches, but an empowerment for less-privileged members,” he said.
The governor stressed that his administration will always have a human face; pointing out that the people must be shielded from the current harsh economic recession; noting that the improved peace being enjoyed in the state was a function of the prayers of clerics who have supported the work being done by security agencies.
He urged church leaders to pray so that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) would conduct free and fair elections for the State to have representatives at the Senate, House of Representatives and Rivers State House of Assembly.
On the payment of salaries and pensions of those captured late in the biometric exercise, the governor said the Ministry of Finance has already credited the accounts of the affected persons.
In his remarks, the Archbishop of Niger Delta Province, Ignatius Kattey lauded Governor Wike for the interactive session.
He commended the governor for setting up a vibrant State Executive Council that has worked hard to develop the State.