From Okey Sampson, Umuahia
Abia State House of Assembly Joint Committee on Education, Public Petition and Judiciary has commenced investigation into a petition written by Mr. Chukwudi Onwudinanti, an indigene of Ubani Emede -Ibeku Umuahia East constituency on the alleged high fees charged at the Government College, Umuahia (GCU) and other activities of the members of Fisher Education Development Trust (FEDT).
In the petition, Onwudinanti who is an old Boy of the College, alleged that members of the FEDT have shut out brilliant children within Ibeku and Umuahia East State constituency from assessing quality education in the College by increasing the annual school fees to more than N1 million.
In the petition, Onwudinanti said the children of low and middle class persons, including the children of most Government College Umuahia Old Boys Association (GCUOBA) members could no longer be admitted into the College because of outrageous and elitist school fees, among other complaints.
He alleged that the members of FEDT have concluded plans to change the constitution of the GCUOBA where every member would be mandated to register with N10 million.
According to him, the privatisation and elitist system in which the school is presently run, is contrary to the July 21, 2014 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Abia State Government and GCUOBA.
He, therefore, called on the Abia State House of Assembly to intervene in the matter, lamenting that the school which produced Professor Chinua Achebe, Ken Saro Wiwa, Professor Elechi Amadi, Professor Laz Ekwueme, Professor Fubara, all present Senators from Abia State among others, has been allegedly pocketed as a private enterprise.
Former national president of GCUOBA, Professor Dagogo Fubara, 86, and a surviving member of the 1952 set, travelled from Port Harcourt to the Abia State House of Assembly to testify.
He warned that no attempt should be made by any individual or group to destroy the legacy of the College and supported the petition.
The National President of GCUOBA, Dr. Chinedum Ahaiwe alleged that the Certificate of Occupancy (CofO) of the College has been kept out of the reach of his members by the FEDT officials.
Dr. Ahaiwe, who lamented that the College is now being run without any regard to the members of GCUOBA, called on the State House of Assembly to be diligent in handling the petition brought by Onwudinanti.
Chairman of Abia State House of Assembly Joint Committee on Education, Public Petition and Judiciary, Anderson Akaliro, said the members of FEDT would be given the opportunity to defend themselves on the allegations, before the House would take its decision.
He, therefore, directed that the members of FEDT should appear before the House committee on Thursday next week even as he urged the members of GCUOBA to also be present.
Deputy Speaker of the State Assembly, Austin Okezie said that the Committee has only two weeks to conclude its works.