Biting Economic Hardship, Birth of Low Turnout On Resumption – Details.
It was learnt that the Parents and School authorities in Ebonyi State are blaming the low turnout of pupils for the new term, on the biting economic hardship plaguing citizens of the country.
Thenewskingdom gathered that poor turnout of pupils and students, with low numbers in enrollment fee payments, dominate most of the schools in the Abakaliki urban city, when compared to previous seasons.
The stakeholders in the state said the current economic situation is very unfriendly following the skyrocketing pump price of petrol causing spiral costs of transportation, education instructional materials and staple foods in the open markets.
However, parents, guardians, and caregivers are crying about how the biting economy is affecting the return of their wards to classes, as it will pose serious challenges in meeting up with the routine school runs and other basic requirements of the first term.
In a telephone conversation with journalists, the Ebonyi State Commissioner for Information and State Orientation, Engr. Jude Okpor explained that the implementation of the National Minimum Wage by the present administration was part of the Governor’s economic move to improve the living standards of citizens of the State.
He emphasized that the administration of Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru of Ebonyi State was the first in the Southeast region to agree to the implementation of a National Minimum Wage for workers.
Okpor reiterated that the empowerment packages of the present administration were in different categories as many indigenes and non-indigenes have been benefiting from the empowerment Programmes of the Governor.
Okpor said, “In the commencement of his administration, his Excellency in order ameliorate the present economic hardship being faced by citizens, owing to the removal of fuel subsidy, which has continued to impact on the cost of commodities and cost of living, across the country, including Ebonyi State, for instance, implemented the wage increment of N10,000.00 and later upgraded it to N20,000.00″.
“The Governor of Ebonyi State is the first Executive Governor in the South East to agree to the payment of the new national minimum wage, which directive has been given to the relevant authorities to begin the payment this September”.
“In terms of human capital development, there’s a prevailing slogan now in the State and what is that prevailing slogan, “alert vamvavam” What does it mean? This alert “Vamvavam” is a multi-faceted empowerment approach of the State Government led by Rt. Hon. Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru captures all facets of human society, including Market women, Civil servants, and youths, among others”.
“People have continued to give testimonies receiving this empowerment package and it is timely coming within the period where Parents are preparing to return their Wards to School”.
“It is not only timely but life-saving. The State Government has done so much in terms of ameliorating the present economic realities by using prompt payment of salaries, different levels or categorisations of empowerment packages for different categories of citizens of Ebonyi State.”
Accordingto Mrs. Jacinta Ifeanyi who is a mother of six children, who bears the burden of returning her wards to school explained the difficulty of coping with the current hardships as not all her children might resume this term.
In another development, a social commentator, Sampson Ekigbo and Elizabeth Udeh, a school headmistress, are calling for the immediate payment of the new national minimum wage already signed into law, as a measure to ameliorate the sufferings of working class parents.
They unanimously called on the authorities to urgently implement the other components of the terms of the new minimum wage agreement, such as the commencement of operations of the CNG transportation logistics scheme, among others.
