Ben Ezechime, Enugu
The Enugu State Government says it notes with deep concern the statement credited to the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) directing the West African Examination Council (WAEC) to postpone the General Mathematics (Theory and Objectives) examinations scheduled for Thursday, May 30, 2024, which the IPOB had designated “Biafra Heroes Day.”
The Commissioner for Information and Communication, Aka Eze Aka, said this in a statement made available to newsmen on Wednesday in Enugu.
“We note with particular concern IPOB’s statement that “WAEC board should not endanger the lives of small children because that day is not safe for any individual in Biafra territory.”
“This is unacceptable to us, not only because of the well-known position of the Enugu State Government on illegal sit-at-home orders, which have dealt a great blow on the socio-economic life and fortunes of the South-East region, but also because of the far-reaching consequences of a whole generation of Enugu children failing to sit for a fundamental subject such as Mathematics in one year.
“Let no one make a mistake about it, Ndigbo excel on the wings of industry, education and human capital development.
“Therefore, any pronouncement or action that tends to deny our children their rights to education, which is their ticket to the future, is offensive to our sensibilities and surely the sensibilities of our founding fathers and fallen heroes, who must be turning in their graves, wondering what could have happened to us as a people.
“More so when many of the architects of such unjust and evil agenda live in the comfort of civilised societies where they go to work and their children go to school every workday,” the Commissioner said.
According to him, the Enugu State Government recognises the sacrifices of “our gallant forebears,” who gave their all, including their lives, to defend the Igboland.
“However, we also recognise that they died that we may not just have life, but to have the best of it, which can only come from developing our human capital to be able to excel in all that we do as individuals and collectively as a people.
“The government will not sit by and watch the future of our children aborted by such ill-conceived pronouncement intended to keep them at home.
“WAEC, as the name implies, is a regional body organising SSCE, not just in Nigeria, but across West Africa. The subregion will certainly not wait for us.
“The Enugu State Government, therefore, enjoins candidates seating for the ongoing SSCE in Enugu State to feel free to go to their respective centres to seat for their papers on Thursday, May 30, 2024, without any fears, while the officials involved in the conduct of the examination should also go about their legitimate duties without apprehension.
“As underscored at the beginning of this administration, no one has the right to impose any illegal and involuntary restriction of movement or business activities on anybody within the territory of Enugu State. Such will be met with the full weight of the law.
“Consequently, the government has put the security agencies on red alert to ensure security of lives and property and also deal, according to the laws of the land, with anyone or group bent on scuttling the SSCE scheduled for May 30, 2024 or causing a breach of peace and security of any type,” the statement said.
