The Riverside Primary School Azumini, which had been moribund for years, has been revitalized alongside five other schools within the Ukwa East LGA. Under Mayor Dame Ngozi Nwagbara’s administration, five out of six public schools that had been inactive have successfully resumed operations, largely due to the collaborative efforts of the Acting Education Secretary of Ukwa East LGA.
Sir Emeka Jiji, the Education Secretary for Ukwa East Local Government Area, highlighted that the current administration has managed to recover five of the six schools that had fallen into disrepair. Notable mentions include Mkpukpuaja Agbuagu School, Akirika Obu School, and Riverside Primary School Azumini.
During the reopening ceremony of the moribund Riverside Primary School, Mrs. Eziuche Ada Ogeh, President of the Oganihu Women, appreciated the Mayor on behalf of the Oganihu Women of Azumini and expressed their unwavering support for the new administration in Ukwa East.
Chief Barr. Fidelis Nnah and Elder Azubuike Nwankwo, the national president of the Azumini Welfare Association, both expressed their gratitude to Dame Ngozi Nwagbara for her dedicated efforts in restoring Riverside Primary School to operational status after a prolonged period of inactivity. They also raised concerns regarding several challenges faced by the school, including security issues, access to the school premises, and the need for fencing to protect the school’s land from encroachment.
Engr. Chinedum Ekeke, President of the Azumini Central Youth, further requested the Mayor’s assistance in merging Riverside Primary School with the National Primary School Azumini, with the intention of transforming the latter into a secondary school. This initiative is critical since Azumini currently lacks a government-run secondary school.
The Azumini Welfare President again commended the significant achievements accomplished by the administration of Dame Ngozi Nwagbara in a short period.
Mayor Dame Ngozi Nwagbara expressed her profound gratitude for the community’s support and emphasized that her commitment to revitalizing Riverside Primary School stemmed from her passion for humanitarian service. She pledged to advocate for the inclusion of Riverside Primary in the budgets of future administrations to ensure its development to a commendable standard.
Furthermore, she encouraged the establishment of a School Board Management Committee (SBMC) to oversee the development of educational institutions in Azumini and directed the Education Secretary to assist in realizing this initiative.
In alignment with her promises, Dame Ngozi Nwagbara also covered the school fees for the first twenty pupils who returned to the school and provided them with free books, school uniforms, and school bags.
The Mayor later offered letters of employment to auxiliary teachers hired to support learning activities at the various revitalized schools. After the event, the Mayor took time to tour the school premises, where she identified various challenges faced by the school.
