Governor of Ebonyi State, Chief Francis Nwifuru, has ordered the sealing of all the illegal mining sites in the Ameka community, Ezza South Local Government Area of the state.
The disclosure was made by the state Commissioner for Information and State Orientation, Jude Okpor, yesterday, while briefing newsmen on the outcome of this week’s executive council meeting.
He noted that the governor directed fortified security in the community, to ensure protection of lives and property in the area. Okpor disclosed that the government also approved upgrading of 39 secondary schools to model schools for moral reset factories for children in the state.
“To ensure a clean and healthy Ebonyi environment, the council after exhaustive deliberations on rising issues, resolved to embark on the procurement of some equipment, ranging from sweeping machines, tractors with backhoe for cleaning drainages, and further approved the release of an old ambulance to be refurbished for emergency corpse evacuation. For speedy completion of the airport project, and to guarantee readiness for use, the council approved the certificate generated by IDC (the contractor) for timely completion of the asphalting of the runway of the Wilberforce Chuba Okadigbo International Airport.
“After considering the benefits of spelling drills to the basic stages of educational development, the EXCO approved the introduction of Spelling Bee for primary and secondary schools. The council also approved the perimeter survey of public primary and secondary schools in the state to avoid encroachment, which is gradually becoming a recurrent issue in state-owned facilities.
“In a bid to permanently put an end to all illegal mining in Ameka, Ezza South LGA, particularly at Community Primary School, Amajim, the council constituted an EXCO Committee, comprising the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Commissioners for Solid Minerals, Lands & Survey, Commerce and Industry, Education (primary and secondary), and directed a total seal off of the illegal mining sites, and subsequent establishment of fortified security, to ensure safety of lives of the people of the area.
“In keeping to the tenets of His Excellency’s People’s Charter of Needs policy, especially in the area of quality education, the EXCO, after thorough deliberation, approved the upgrade of 39 secondary schools in the state to model schools, with each local government allocated three. The schools, at completion, will not only be citadels of learning, but will serve as moral reset factories for Ebonyi children.
“The council approved the Bill of Quantities for the overhaul of EBBC and directed the Ebonyi State Council for Public Procurement to commence the procurement process at a cost not exceeding budgetary provisions”, he stated.