EBONYI STATE GOVT TO SHUT DOWN SCHOOLS FOR GENERAL ELECTION

REPORTER: AMECHI ODO

Ebonyi State Government has has declared a public holiday for all public and private primary and secondary schools in the state from February 22 to March 15, 2023.

This was one of the decisions taken at this week’s State Executive Council meeting held at the Government House, Abakaliki.

Briefing journalists, the State Commissioner for Information and Culture, Chief Uchenna Orji, explained that the decision followed a memo by the Commissioner for Education, Dr. Sunday Nwangele, requesting that the government shuts down schools within the time frame to enable eligible students participate in the forthcoming General Election.

He said the Executive Council also noted security considerations and the sensitivity of the election as part of the reasons for the closure of schools.

The Commissioner said as a result of the interruption, the state government had approved that the academic session be extended by three weeks to make up for the lost period.

Chief Orji also informed journalists that Exco received a report on the Commission of Enquiry, Peace and Reconcilation on Ekoli and Amaoso Edda crises and appointed a Review Committee to look into the recommendations.

According to Chief Orji, part of the recommendations of the Committee is that all culprits in the last attack on the people of Ekoli Edda should face the consequences of their actions.

The state government also constituted a Peace Committee headed by Ezeogo Idam Onya to find lasting solution to the lingering communal conflict in Okporojo between the people of Amasiri and Oso-Edda

EDITED BY CHUKWUBUIKE MADU