Federal Government has been charged to promulgate a law that will make killing of a National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member, a death sentence.
The Executive Director, Abia State Agency for Mass Literacy, Adult and Non-formal Education, Chief Godfrey Akara, made this charge during the send forth of two Batch A Corps members, Miss Osho Opeyemi and Miss Columbus Chinwe Emmanuella, who served in the agency.
Chief Akara frowned at the rate NYSC members are killed in the process of serving their country, adding that the recent killings had rendered some parents childless.
Akara, who further called on governments at all levels to consider increasing the stipend paid to corps members serving, especially in the northern parts of the country and advocated that NYSC members be allowed to serve in their states of origin, due to the current insecurity in the nation, which had resulted to the death of many of them.
He appealed to the passing out corps members from the agency, especially those with bias in adult education, to help in repackaging and marketing the programmes of the agency.
Akara also called on officers of Adult Education Programmes in the state to put in more life into the scheme, be committed and self disciplined in the discharge of their duties.
In another development, Chief Akara has called on political leaders to help fast-track adult education and enhance the establishment of Adult Literacy Centres in various communities.
He also called on political leaders in the state to understand and appreciate the critical role and relevance of adult education in the society as it transforms in totality the lives of other people.
Akara stated this during his advocacy visit to the Speaker, Abia State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Chikwendu Kalu, in his office, pointed out some of the achievements of the agency in the recent times and therefore appealed to ASUBEB to include the agency in its scheme of things, as provided in the laws.
He also pleaded with the House to assist the agency with logistics for effective monitoring and supervision.
Responding, the Speaker commended Chief Akara for his efforts in adult
Education and assured him that he will do all within his powers to ensure that the agency receives all the necessary assistance it needed to succeed.
Meanwhile, Chief Akara has advised Abians of voting age to obtain their Permanent Voters Card (PVCs), to enable them re-elect Governor Okezie Ikpeazu for a second term, to continue his good works.
He stated this in his office during a meeting with Heads of Adult Education units in the 17 local government areas of the state urged them to take the message home and enlighten the electorate in their areas of the operations on need to procure their Permanent Voters Cards to silence opponents of Dr. Ikpeazu’s led administration.
Chief Akara, who enumerated the governor’s achievements said, that the governor has done much in many areas especially in the infrastructure development sector and recalled the reconstruction and construction of many roads, the channeling of flood at Ifeobara in the acclaimed Ukwu Mango Mammy Water and Ndiegoro flood area, education, school feedings, among others.
He commended the governor for assisting the agency clear backlog of arrears of stipends owed to adult education instructors and helping the agency to carry out adult/skills education to the door steps of rural dwellers.