Abia state government has denied reports that it sold a mission school, Wilcox Memorial Comprehensive Secondary School, Ogbor Hill, Aba, to a former deputy governor, Chief Acho Nwakanma.
There are reports that the former deputy governor had bought the school which is now under renovation while Ndoki primary school was also sold.
However, Commissioner for Trade and Investment, Chief John Okiyi Kalu, stated that the state government has nothing to do with the school since the former Governor Theodore Orji administration handed it over to its original owners, the United Evangelical Church, in 2011.
He explained that the Church entered into an agreement with the ex deputy Governor to rebuild and manage the school.
He also dismissed reports that the state government sold Ndoki primary school as unfounded, stressing that the government rather relocated because it was located beside the Ngwa road market as the environment is not conducive for learning.
The Commissioner further explained that the trading activities and location of a military unit in the school have become a huge distraction to the school to learning as government would no longer allow students to study in such a chaotic environment.
He however disclosed that the school has been relocated to a conducive environment within the same area.
He said; “Wilcox Memorial Comprehensive Secondary School has never been sold to anybody. What happened was that the government before us handed over the mission school to its original owners, the United Evangelical Church. It is the church who entered into agreement with the ex deputy Governor to rebuild and manage the school. The state government has nothing to do with it.
“Again, nobody sold Ndoki Primary school. What happened was that the school is surrounded by the Ngwa road market, Danfodio market and other trading activities in the area. There is also a military cantonment inside the school. The State Government decided that proper teaching and learning cannot thrive in such a chaotic environment. They resolved to relocate the school to a conducive environment within the same area.”
Okiyi Kalu further said that some traders who were displaced from the ongoing reconstruction of the Ngwa road market will be relocated to the open ground in the school pending the conclusion of construction works at their lines.
He assured that the ministry would soon return the traders displaced from Lines 1, 2 and 3 of the market to their shops as the works are almost completed.
