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The host community of Federal Government College (FGC), Port Harcourt, has rejected any move to concession or privatise the school, joining the growing opposition to private management of Federal Unity Colleges triggered by the controversial King’s College, Lagos, arrangement.
But the Federal Government has said it has no plan to extend the King’s College concession model to other Unity Colleges, assuring that it would continue to fund and rehabilitate the schools.
Elieke Community in Rumuokoro Clan, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State, said rather than hand FGC Port Harcourt to private interests, the government should increase funding, renovate infrastructure, employ qualified teachers and equip its laboratories and hostels.
The community stated its position in a September 17 letter signed by President of Elieke Community Council, Nyebuchi Amadi, and Secretary, John Wagbara, and addressed to the Minister of Education, principal of FGC Port Harcourt and chairman of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area.
The intervention comes amid a nationwide controversy over the Federal Government’s concession of King’s College, Lagos, to the King’s College Old Boys’ Association (KCOBA) under a Public-Private Partnership arrangement.
Education Minister, Tunji Alausa, has maintained that King’s College has neither been sold nor privatised, saying the Federal Government retains legal ownership, regulatory and oversight powers, while KCOBA is expected to finance, rehabilitate, modernise, operate and maintain the institution.
Alausa subsequently ruled out extending the model to other Federal Unity Colleges, describing the King’s College arrangement as an isolated case and saying government would continue to take responsibility for the other schools.
Nevertheless, the Elieke community said it was concerned about reports suggesting that FGC Port Harcourt and other Unity Colleges could eventually be brought under similar arrangements.
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“We, Elieke Community, Rumuokoro Clan, as host community, in solidarity with the management, staff, parents, old boys association and students of FGC Port Harcourt, unequivocally reject any plan or attempt to privatise, concession, sell or hand over FGC Port Harcourt to any private entity,” it said.
The community listed what it described as betrayal of the founding purpose of Unity Colleges, possible loss of access by ordinary Nigerians, breach of trust with the host community, insecurity and lack of transparency among its concerns.
It demanded that FGC Port Harcourt remain a public institution and called on the Federal Government to increase funding, renovate infrastructure, employ qualified teachers and upgrade laboratories and hostels.
The community also proposed the establishment of a stakeholders’ committee comprising representatives of the Parent-Teacher Association, old students and traditional institutions to discuss the future of Unity Colleges.
It said its position on the continued public status of FGC Port Harcourt was “non-negotiable,” arguing that the community had made ancestral land available for an institution intended to promote national unity.
“We say no to concession. We say no to privatisation of Unity Colleges. FGC Port Harcourt must remain a Federal Government College for all Nigerians,” it said.
The controversy over King’s College has already disrupted activities in Federal Unity Colleges, with workers opposing the concession and demanding its reversal. The Federal Government and labour subsequently established a seven-member committee to review the King’s College concession agreement following negotiations over the dispute.
Under the King’s College arrangement, the Federal Government says it retains ownership of the school while KCOBA assumes responsibility for financing major rehabilitation, infrastructure development, operations and maintenance. The government has also said admissions would continue under applicable Unity College policies and national representation requirements.
