Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
The All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, as well as Abia League of Professionals Initiative have knocked the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP-led administration in Abia State over what they called “the collapse of critical education sector” in the state.
They were reacting to the de-accreditation of Abia State Polytechnic, Aba, by the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE).
The withdrawal of accreditation from Abia Poly is coming about three months after the National Universities Commission, NUC, withdrew accreditation from the Abia State University medical school.
Doctors at ABSUTH who have been on strike are owed for 25 months’ salary while ABSU lecturers are owed for 10 months.
Similarly, staff of Abia Poly are owed for 29 months, a sad development that promoted NBTE to withdraw its accreditation and subsequently asked the National Youth Service Corps to stop mobilising graduates from the institution.
APGA and the league of professionals in separate statements, expressed disgust that Abia which had excelled in the education sector under previous administrations, had lost the gains recorded in the past.
The league of professionals in a statement by its Director-General, Sonny Iroche, said the development “is a strong indictment on the Abia State Government and the officials of government in charge of running the Education sector.”
APGA’s statement signed by its Chairman, Rev. Augustine Ehiemere, said it was heartbreaking that the two tertiary institutions built and effectively managed by previous administrations were collapsing under the watch of PDP-led Government.
He said that posterity would not forgive PDP for ruining the critical education sector where Abia had excelled in the past.
The statement read in part: “It is necessary to recall that these institutions which preceded the advent of the PDP misrule in Abia State have been hitherto run effectively and efficiently by preceding governments.
“At the last count, the Abia State Polytechnic staff are being owed up to 29 months which is more than two years in salaries and allowances.
“This is in exception of a total teaching and learning infrastructure collapse in these two institutions that the PDP administration met as centers of excellence.
“These developments become even more intriguing to human understanding when weighed against the fact that even PDP governments in other states of the federation that took office at that same time or even later than the PDP government in Abia have initiated and completed gigantic multi billion naira state institutions in their various states.
“Our neighboring Ebonyi State has initiated and completed one of the best medical schools in Nigeria while Akwa Ibom State has built and partnered with multinational business conglomerates to float major industries including a car assembly plant to cater for the needs of their people and reward their trust.”
APGA said that “the essence of government is to guarantee the good of the people by the provision of the basic necessities of life like security, education, good roads, housing, electricity and potable water.”
“But it does appear that under the PDP government of Abia State, the above expectations have been redefined to looting of the peoples’ common wealth by those who have access to power.”
APGA argued that PDP “should have at least maintained the institutions it inherited since it cannot improve or create any, instead of superintending over their failure and collapse.”
The statement condemned what it called “financial brigandage by the PDP government in Abia State which has resulted in this continuous tale of woes.”
It further read: “APGA finds it hard to understand why a polytechnic and university which are being run successfully and seamlessly by Abia sons like Prof. Gregory Ibe, who do not command the vast resources available to the state, continues to collapse in the hands of a government that pledged to deliver on the trust and expectation of the Abia people.
“Abia people have taken enough punishment from the PDP government of Abia State. The failure of these two schools is the last straw that has broken the camel’s back.
“Enough is enough. APGA is calling on the PDP governor of Abia State to show some decency by resigning honorably and apologising to Abia for the misrule and directionlessness his government has foisted on the people.”
APGA, therefore, urged Abians to vote out PDP in 2023, and support the efforts to rescue and rebuild the state.
“We call on the Abia masses to take advantage of the 2023 elections and ensure that Abia State is rescued from the strangle hold ot the PDP by voting in an APGA government. We are poised to restore Abia State to the path of hope and glory.
“The magic flame of APGA which has placed Anambra State among the fastest developing states during the Peter Obi administration and presently being replicated by the Prof. Soludo administration is set to light up the shores of Abia State through an APGA administration.”
The league of professionals said “It is a big embarrassment that Abia State, hitherto a bastion of quality education in the past, has degenerated to this level of anomie, by the loss of accreditation of both the Polytechnic and the ABSU Medical College,” ALPI said.
It called for a forensic audit of the account of Abia polytechnic and the probe of the management.
The body threatened to take steps to avoid politicians running the state aground.
