Akwa Ibom Ties Free And Compulsory Education To Voter Registration

UYO, Jan 25, (THEWILL) - Henceforth, children whose parents or guardian fail to register in the ongoing voter registration exercise, will not benefit in the free and compulsory education programme of the present administration in Akwa Ibom State.

The state Commissioner for Information and Re-orientation, Mr. Aniekan Umanah, bared the mind of the state government at a press conference in Uyo today saying that the decision was reached in an enlarged meeting of the state executive council presided by the governor, Chief Godswill Akpabio at the Hilltop mansion.

According to Umanah, parents and guardians must show evidence of their registration before their wards could benefit from the free and compulsory education programme of the state government.

Among other resolutions reached at the executive council meeting was that henceforth, voter registration cards would be used for self-identification in matters of personal emolument and staff promotions in the state.

Political appointees and prospective ones, resource persons handling inter-ministerial projects and even quasi-contracts will equally identify themselves with their voter registration cards.

In order to ensure the success of this all important exercise in the state, as well as enable public officer’s participation, all public offices be closed at 12 noon on Friday, January 28th 2011 to create ample opportunity for public servants to register and collect their voter cards.

Stressing on the issue the commissioner called on all eligible adults to make sure they are duly registered, maintaining that a breach of the civic responsibility will not be tolerated by the state government.

“As one of the civic responsibilities of any citizen of this country, every eligible adult must be duly registered; a breach of this duty cannot be tolerated by any responsible government.”

Also security agents are requested to ensure orderliness at the registration centers and arrest for the purpose of prosecution any person(s) involved in any unlawful acts.