The Special Assistant to Governor Umo Eno on Social Orientation, Mr Aniekeme Finbarr has condemned in strong terms the rampant destruction of public school facilities across the 31 local government areas in the state.
He therefore charged community leaders and indigenes of the state to take ownership of public infrastructure, especially schools in their localities.
Finbarr, whose appointment was announced by Eno few days ago gave the charge when he took a group of social volunteers around schools in Uyo metropolis to show the level of vandalization of public school facilities in the state capital.
Speaking with newsmen after the tour, the Governor’s aide said the visit revealed different levels of damage done to school buildings, including doors, windows, ceilings, and even roofs that were peeled and removed by hoodlums in Uyo City.
While in Atan Offot Central School Uyo he said that the state government was worried about a situation where roofs of classroom blocks were removed adding that awareness campaign would be increased as well as security measures to smoke the culprits out.
Finbarr said similar condition was observed at QIC Primary School, Idoro Road, Uyo and RCM Primary School, West Itam Two, Itu and emphasized the need for community to protect government infrastructure in their domains against the activities of vandals.
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“It is a very sad situation we have found ourselves. Almost every public school in the capital city has an infrastructure or more vandalized by hoodlums. Who are the perpetrators? I doubt we can say visitors did this. It is our people who have done this. How can we develop with this kind of behaviour? We are saying this behaviour has to stop.
“Governor Umo Eno has stepped up the awareness on these issues because he is currently building new model schools and the fear is that the same thing that happened in these schools will be transferred to the expensive model schools that have been built. No amount of tall fences or mobilization of the police force will stem this tide”
Finbarr explained the need for community efforts to ensure that vandalization is reduced to the barest minimum or completely stopped.
“It calls for community vigilance and a sense of ownership on all public infrastructure. Initially, it was only doors and windows that were ripped off but now even roofs are taken off from school. We are taking the message to every nook and cranny, we are using every medium of communication to step up the sensitization. We just have to rise and put a stop to this” he said.
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