Ebonyi State Government Announces Return of Mission Schools to Original Owners

In a significant move, the Ebonyi State Government has declared its intention to return all Mission schools to their original owners before the close of the current year. Governor Francis Nwifuru disclosed this during an address at the Government House Chapel in Ochoudo Centenary City, Abakaliki, responding to an appeal from Most Reverend Dr. Peter Nworie Chukwu, the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Abakaliki.

Governor Nwifuru, underscoring the collaboration between the state and religious institutions, directed the Commissioner for Primary and Secondary Education and the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice to initiate the prompt handover process of these schools to the respective Missions.

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Expressing gratitude for the Bishop's visit and blessing of the Government House Chapel, Governor Nwifuru assured the Churches, including the Catholic Church, of his commitment to working together. He reflected on the challenges in the education sector and outlined plans to send graduates for further studies abroad, addressing the shortage of qualified teachers in primary and secondary schools.

The Governor welcomed the readiness of the Catholic Church to reclaim their schools and extended the offer to other churches whose schools were previously taken over. He emphasized the importance of collaboration and expressed confidence in the positive outcomes of such partnerships.

However, Governor Nwifuru urged religious leaders to refrain from engaging in politics, emphasizing their primary role in preaching salvation to mankind. Reflecting on his political journey, he thanked God for overcoming challenges during elections.

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Most Reverend Dr. Peter Nworie Chukwu, in his homily, commended Governor Nwifuru for positive steps in his administration and reiterated the Catholic Church's support for the Governor's goals for the state. He called on Cabinet members to cooperate in achieving enduring legacies for Ebonyi State.

The Bishop particularly highlighted the Church's readiness to collaborate on education, expressing sentiments about schools forcibly taken from the Catholic Church after the Civil War.