By Monday OISE
An All Progressive Congress APC governorship aspirant,Dr Ernest Afolabi Umakhihe, who is highly tipped to fly the APC flag in the governorship election has decried the deplorable state of public schools across the local governments areas of the state noting that a good education system and educated society are the best investments of a stable and healthy economy and democratic system.
He promised to give urgent attention to buildings and rehabilitation of public schools in the state.
Dr Umakhihe was speaking yesterday when he took his FRESH HOPE campaign to Esan North-East, Esan South-East and Igueben Local Government Areas respectively in the Edo Central Senatorial District of the state.
While addressing separately the leaders, executives and members of the APC at the various party Secretariat at Uromi, Ubiaja and Igueben respectively, Umakhihe decried the dilapidated state of schools across the local governments of Edo state and noted that a good educational system and educated society are the best investments for a stable and healthy economy and democratic system, even as he declared that some of the schools that are in terrible states will immediately be given priority attention if elected.
He bemoaned the situation where the people will be taxing themselves to employ teachers to teach their children in a government school and gave assurances that such an unwholesome practice will be a thing of the past under his watch as Governor, as qualified teachers will be employed in all subject areas to take care of the children.
He stated further, that apart from employing qualified teachers, there will be continuous training and retraining of the teachers which he said would afford them the opportunity to continually develop as professionals and impact on the children positively.
On the lack of portable water across communities in Edo Central Senatorial district, Dr Umakhihe queried why water should not flow in the land when there are various technologies now on ground to get water no matter the depth. If given the desired support and mandate, he said the issues of water is going to be a priority and he would ensure that water flows in communities in Esan land.
While appealing to the people for their support and nomination to represent the party, Dr Umakhihe said he is not coming with a message of marginalization but a message of capacity, capability and the desire to do more work for the good people of Edo state as he has the experience to deliver on the mandate.
“I know the bad state we are in now and we need somebody to fix it, I have come prepared with a blueprint to do the fixing for the benefit of the people because of the passion to serve and the experience”.
In their various remarks, the local government party chairman of Esan North East, Hon Emmanuel Ivbagbemie commended him for his organizational skills and for being stainless during his tenure in office as Federal Permanent Secretary and for making Edo state proud
He noted that he has seen a man whose statement is a vision waiting to be commissioned.
He described Umakhihe as an in-law in whom the Easn North-East people are most pleased due to the level of his intervention in the infrastructural development of Uromi community where his (Umakhihe’s) wife hail from, as well as his human capital development on the youths of the community.
At Ubiaja, Esan South East, the people that spoke said that of a truth, the government need somebody with capacity and that, they have seen in Dr Ernest Afolabi Umakhihe and will therefore support him to change the narratives of yesteryears.
At Igueben, the party executives and members trooped out in their numbers to receive Dr Ernest Umakhihe.
The LGA Chairman of the APC, Chief Sunday Ikholegbe, described Umakhihe as a material that should be given the support and nominated for him to impact positively in the state for the benefit of the people.
The statewide tour continues today with visit to Etsako East, Etsako Central and Etsako West
