DTSG POISED TO DEAL WITH KIDNAPPERS IN THE STATE

NO. DTS 0014 OF 19/01/10



As kidnapping incident has continued to rear its ugly head in the society, the Delta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan has disclosed that hoodlums now recruit drivers, stewards, cooks and family members into the exercise.

Speaking while receiving reports from the committee set-up to look into the handover of schools in the state to their former owners, the Governor said that those who allegedly kidnapped Barrister Mariam Aluta, the daughter-in-law of the Chairman of the State Post Primary Education Board has been arrested.

He stated that security operatives were still on the trail of the remaining suspects and promised to ensure that they were apprehended in no distant future.
The Governor who said that victims would always be discouraged from paying ransom added that even when ransom has been paid, security operatives will still trail and arrest the criminals.
Dr. Uduaghan informed that his administration has adopted strong strategy that will check kidnapping incident in the state and charged Deltans to be vigilant.

He explained that it was as a result of the stringent measures put in place by the Police and other security operatives that reduced the rate of kidnapping in the state.
His words "I want to assure you that kidnapping is being checked in the state. We have mapped out strong strategy to check the incident and it is reducing."

Promising to ensure that perpetrators of the heinous crime will face the full weight of the law, the Governor enjoined parents and guardians to monitor the activities of their wards.

NO. DTS 0015 OF 19/01/10

COMMITTEE ON HAND OVER OF SCHOOLS SUBMITS REPORT

The committee set-up by the Delta State Government to look into the transfer of schools to their former owners has recommended the return of 40 secondary schools to the missions and communities.

Submitting the report, the Chairman of the Committee, Bishop Jonathan Edewor said the decision to handover only 40 schools out of the 405 secondary schools in the state was reached after careful consideration of the request made by stakeholders.
He said that particular attention was given to the fears expressed by the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) and Parents Teachers Association (PTA) over the welfare of the staff of such schools.

Bishop Edewor further said that the exercise should be done in two ways namely full handover with adequate grant and secondly partnership with school owners where government pays salaries and wages while proprietors manage the schools.

The bishop stated that the committee recommended a gradual handover process which will span over one year so that the state government could establish parallel schools in areas where schools are to be handed over to allay the fears.

He explained that the report compiled in two volumes contains the terms of references, methodology, findings, recommendations and memoranda of other interest groups.
The Chairman disclosed that the committee faced several challenges which ranged from logistics to many others and that these contributed to the delay in submitting the report.

Bishop Edewor expressed the hope that" his 11 -man Committee's recommendations would be implemented so that the protracted debate on the issue would move to the next level.

In a brief remark, the state Governor assured the Committee members in particular and Deltans in general that his administration would look into the committee report with a view to implementing its recommendation as quickly as possible in order to put to rest the protracted issue of handover of schools to their former owners.

His words "I assured you and Deltans that the state government will quickly work on the report and implement it."
The governor explained that government alone cannot successfully carry out the onerous task of ensuring excellence in the education industry and called on Private ownership of schools in the state to continue to partner with the state government so as to achieve the objectives set for the industry. He commended the committee members for working together as a team to produce the report.