By Emeka Ugwunali
The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has donated 100 desks to Community Secondary School, Rumuekini, in Obio/Akpor local government area of the state.
In the school, which has become a death trap, over 70 per cent of the student population sit on bare floor to learn due to lack of desks.
Speaking while presenting the desks on Friday, the member representing Rivers State in the NDDC Board, Chief Tony Okocha, said he was moved to make the donation after paying an unscheduled visit to the school.
Okocha said: “One morning, I took a walk to this school, I didn’t inform the Principal and I didn’t inform the CDC Chairman. As soon as I got into this compound, I noticed that this building is dilapidated and it has become a death trap”.
“The building may collapse if there is a smallest pressure. What if it collapses when our children are in school, what will happen? I also observed when I came, that one touched me more; I observed that our children learn on bare floor. They drove me to tears. I saw children sitting down in a most uncomfortable environment.
“I imagined if sitting down in that ugly environment will inspire them to comprehend what their teachers are teaching. I also discovered that as it is today, when it rains now, students will all be in trouble because there are no windows, no doors.”
The NDDC board member urged the people of Rumuekini community to safeguard the desks to avoid vandalisation by hoodlums.
In his welcome address, chairman of Rumuekini Community Development Committee, Gentle Akani, called on the NDDC to help in the rehabilitation of some infrastructures in the school.
Akani said: “We sincerely appreciate your honest visit today. For a very long time, government officials have not considered visiting Rumuekini.
“Our school buildings are dilapidated. The school is a community effort. NDDC should assist the community with accessible road to the community school, solar-powered light and reconstruction of the school laboratory.”
