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Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has called for total peace in the state, urging members of the Rivers State House of Assembly to comply fully with the Supreme Court judgment in the best interest of the state.
Fubara stated this on Thursday during the inauguration of the newly renovated Okrika Grammar School in Okrika Local Government Area. He stressed that lasting peace was crucial for good governance, development, and stability in the state.
“It is important at this stage that we all embrace peace. The Supreme Court has given its judgment, and we have no option but to abide by it,” the governor said.
“We have started the process, and we are appealing to other parties to consider the interest of Rivers State. The only thing we owe this state is peace and development.
“I am open any day, any time for total peace in our state because for me to govern well, there must be peace.”
Speaking on the inauguration of Okrika Grammar School, Fubara recalled how the planning committee for the 20th anniversary of the Diocese of Okrika Anglican Communion requested the government’s intervention in rehabilitating the institution, which had been in a deplorable state for years.
He stated, “I felt the least we could do as a government was to uplift the standard of this school. It aligns with our agenda, which prioritises healthcare, education, and agriculture for food sufficiency.
“Despite the challenges confronting our administration, which we didn’t bring upon ourselves, we remain committed to improving education in Rivers State.”
Fubara assured the Anglican Church that the remaining aspects of the school’s rehabilitation, as approved by the government, would be completed.
He maintained that education was the foundation of societal development, adding that well-managed educational facilities would help curb crime among the youth.
“I believe that when all the facilities in this school are put to full use, crime rates will drop, not just in Okrika, but in neighbouring communities that will benefit from this institution,” he said.
The governor also urged the Old Boys of Okrika Grammar School to take up key projects, including the establishment of a centre for computer-based examinations.
Rivers State Commissioner for Education, Dr. Ovy Chukwuma, highlighted the extensive remodelling and reconstruction of the school, describing it as a testament to Fubara’s commitment to quality education.
He said, “The project was awarded in April 2024 and fully funded by the Rivers State Government. It includes an administrative block, 24 classroom blocks, a laboratory, an ICT library, an assembly hall, a 100-bed male hostel, a 100-bed female hostel, a kitchen and dining hall, a matron’s quarters, a sickbay, principal’s quarters, senior and junior staff quarters, perimeter fencing, a gate, a generator house, and solar-powered streetlights.”
Chukwuma added that the school now boasts modern sports facilities, a newly paved road network spanning 1.8 kilometres, and a drainage system.
The classrooms and hostels have been furnished with standard furniture, electronic gadgets, air conditioning units, smart televisions, and computer systems.
In her remarks, the Head of Local Government Administration for Okrika, Mrs. Obianime Appollos, lauded the governor for his intervention in restoring the school’s status after years of neglect.
Representing the Old Boys Association, Mr. Golden Iruayenama noted that past governments had failed to fulfil their promises to renovate the institution, adding that Governor Fubara’s intervention had changed the narrative.
Similarly, the Bishop of the Diocese of Okrika Anglican Communion, Rt. Rev. Enoch Atuboyedia hailed the project as a significant milestone in the history of the school.
“It will be remembered that when Okrika Grammar School turned 85, Governor Fubara remodelled and resuscitated it to help shape the future of Rivers children,” the bishop said.
Fubara also assured the Anglican Church that experts would be deployed to assess and address the shore protection concerns raised by the bishop to prevent the school’s land from erosion.
