Ukanafun students attack Council Chair over bursary, exco members

* Get Assemblyman’s backing

Ukanafun students under the aegis of National Association of Ukanafun Students, NAUS, have formally registered their support as well as encourage others to do same for the re-election bid of the lawmaker representing Ukanafun Constituency in the state parliament, Elder Aniekan Akpan.

Visiting the lawmaker on a courtesy call in the Assembly complex last week, the students who came in droves, drawn across the various higher institutions across the country including University of Port Harcourt, University of Uyo, University of Calabar, River State polytechnic, Abia State University, Akwa Ibom State polytechnic, College of Health Sciences, College of Education – Afaha Nsit, also presented him an Award of Excellence and conferred on him the status of “Grand Commander of the Students Republic (GCSR)” for “outstanding performance”.

In his speech, the president of NAUS, Iniobong Mark said their decision was premised on Akpan’s leadership style and qualities, which according to him, are worthy of emulation. He described the lawmaker as “an illustrious son of Ukanafun in whom they are well pleased” and a leader to behold! He said Elder Akpan understands the tenets of democracy and what it entails to be a representative of the people.
On what spurred their decision for the Award on the lawmaker, Mark said it is because Akpan has since taken up the responsibilities of the council to students as the present local administration since its inception has not paid bursary to students. While appreciating the lawmaker’s efforts towards students’ welfare, the president noted that as Member in the State House of Assembly, he has given a revolving educational grant of 40,000 naira each to fifty students in batches, sponsored Master Degree programme of several Ukanafun indigenes abroad, instituted a scholarship scheme with seventy students as beneficiaries, facilitated the placement of forty-five undergraduates to different establishments for their Industrial Training. Others as listed by the president include; regular sponsorship of students’ union activities, building of a new community market, building of students secretariat, and support to schools and churches.

Recalling with nostalgia Akpan’s days as council chairman, the students said his administration gave priority to students welfare and paid bursary promptly to students. They thanked him for being a listening and compassionate leader. “You are a leader that engages in politics geared towards human, community and societal development,” the students said of the lawmaker.

While lamenting their fate under the present council administration regarding non-payment of bursary to them, the students who expressed displeasure, cautioned the chairman of the local government area, Apostle Sylvester Udokang against going ahead with the plan to set up a caretaker committee to run the affairs of the body as they will resist it vehemently including instituting legal action against the council. The action, according to the students, is an attempt to foment trouble in the area. “We want election so that the present executive can transit peacefully. We will sue the council if it tries to install the executives of our Association through the back door”. They appealed to the lawmaker to intervene in the situation. Others who spoke glowingly of Elder Akpan during the visit were the presidents of Uniuyo, Unical, and ABSU chapters of the Association as the students promised him their unflinching solidarity.

In his response, Aniekan Akpan appreciated the encomiums poured on him by the students, describing it as the most significant honour done him in his three years as a lawmaker. He attributed his success and achievements in office to God and the support of Ukanafun people. He said Ukanafun has for years, been yearning for progress and development and that he is only playing his part to realize the aspiration of Ukanafun people.

“When I was ready to go into politics, I asked God to give me the grace to bring progress to Ukanafun. But even before then, I had been active lending a hand to our people. While in the school system as a principal, I never drove a single student out of school for inability to pay tuition fee which was about three hundred naira then yet most families could not afford it. The implication of this was that by the time I left the school system, I had to pay well over 300,000 naira in debt from my purse to the school. This is why we must continue to applaud the State Governor for his free education policy”.

According to him, it is the reason he has continued to prioritize the interest of students all at levels because education is the key to complete emancipation of the human mind, progress and development.  While advocating for a peaceful transition of the executives of NAUS, he promised to intervene in the crisis that is threatening the association, saying he will also reach out to the council chairman to discuss the bursary issue. He thanked them for their understanding and urged them to continue to remain peaceful, while promising his continued support.

On 2015, he called on them to go down to the grassroot, sensitize the people on good governance as ambassadors and eschew violence. He condemned strongly the statement in some political corners in Ukanafun threatening violence and death in 2015 elections, saying a single life in Ukanafun is worth more than the ambition of all politicians in the area. “Ukanafun will decide who they want and their wish shall prevail”.