TheHILL | NEWS | OCTOBER 7
As Primary and Secondary Schools in Akwa Ibom resume for first term of the 2021/2022 academic session, one individual who is highly concerned about the plight of Schools children in his area, is Engr Anthony Ukut of Nto Udo Ukut Royal Family in Ikot Udoe, Ikot Ekpene Local Government Area.
Taking cognizance of the fact that, a good leader should be people-centric and compassionate among other virtues, Anthony Ukut, over the weekend and Monday donated no fewer than Five Thousand Two Hundred and Fifty (5,250) Exercise Books and writing materials to selected Schools in Ikot Ekpene and Obot Akara LGAs.
In Ikot Ekpene Urban and Amayam clans, the lover of education visited, St. Saviour African School, Uruk Uso, Government School, Methodist School, Ikot Abia Idem and St. Francis Xavier Catholic School, Ikot Osurua.
At Obot Akara, Engr Ukut and his team chose to give to Schools in the interior part of the area. The benefiting schools were; Government School, Nsebe, Government School, Ikot Amba/Ikot Ossom, Methodist School, Obot Atan and Government School, Ntong Uno.
Presenting the gifts on behalf of Tony’s Support Group (TSG), Engr Ukut said he observed that some parents were faced with hardship, especially with the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic which has affected the source of their income and living condition.
Engr. Ukut, who Coordinated Street Jam in all the political Wards in Ikot Ekpene for Governor Udom Emmanuel before the 2019 general elections, explained that, his group; TSG, thought of what to do to support State Government’s free education policy and ease the pressure on parents and decided to make the donations to impact on the pupils and students of the eight (8) selected schools in the first phase of the magnanimity.
It is no more news that the late sage; Chief Obafemi Awolowo introduced free education in 1955 in the old Western region.
Many scions of stark illiterates were able to receive quality primary school education which their parents could never have been able to afford despite their endless toil for a better life.
Engr Anthony Ukut who was nicknamed, “The Awolowo Of Our Time” by various Heads of Schools during the tour, lauded Governor Udom Emmanuel for paying over 200 Million Naira as subvention, building of new classroom blocks, renovation, fencing round of schools and other outstanding feats in education sector.
His words: “Educational edge that Akwa Ibom people now have over the rest of the country is as a result of the free, compulsory and qualitative primary and secondary schooling that the State government has sustained till date. The governor has also carried out massive infrastructure renaissance and invest massively in the education sector.”
Recalling that many indigent Students in the two Local Government Areas have benefitted from his distribution of private candidate WASSCE and JAMB forms amongst other programmes, Engr Ukut called on well-to-do individuals and corporate organisations to support State government’s effort in education by channeling their resources to indigent Pupils and Students.
“During the tour of these Schools, what I have seen; the situation of our Children requires urgent attention in the areas of School Uniforms, Sandals, Writing Materials and other needs. I am using this medium to appeal to our brothers and sisters who are blessed with the resources to please help government because Government cannot do everything, the governor has done his best and we need to support him,” Tony said.
Observing that supporting children at their formative years has the potential of making them great politicians, entrepreneurs, captains of industry and outstanding professionals, Ukut admonished them to obey their parents, teachers and constituted authorities.
He announced that the next phase of the gesture will be to provide School uniforms and other needs for the children.
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Meanwhile, Head teachers of all the eight (8) Schools visited in Ikot Ekpene and Obot Akara LGAs expressed gratitude to the TSG for distributing the educational items to the Children and prayed God to enrich Engr Ukut’s purse.
