.Counsels clerics on sermons of prosperity
By Oye Chukwujekwu,
Asaba
Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, has said that facilities at public secondary schools must be upgraded to meet current trend in the education sector.
The governor made the statement on Sunday, February 5, 2017, while inspecting the level of havoc wreaked by fire at the Chude Girls Model Secondary School, Sapele.
According to the governor, public institutions should have facilities that will make learning environment to be in tune with modern trend, noting that with what he saw at the model school, there was the need for emergency situation to be declared in the education sector.
Okowa, while thanking God that no life was lost in the inferno that razed the hostel of the institution, assured staff and students of the school that his administration has taken steps to ameliorate the effect of the fire on them.
“I sympathize with the young ones who lost their belongings in the fire. We will try to replace what you have lost,” he said, adding, “this fire incident may be a blessing in disguise as I have inspected facilities here. I can assure you that this school will not be like this by next year.”
He reiterated, “we will carry out construction work in the school systematically, so as not to affect academic work.”
Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education in the state, Mr Chiedu Ebie, informed the governor that 95 students were in the hostel when the fire incident happened, disclosing, “two classrooms had been converted to hostels in the interim.”
The Principal of the school, Mrs A. O. Omniabors, thanked Governor Okowa for his timely intervention, stating that philanthropists have come to the aid of the students since Friday night when the fire incident happened.
Meanwhile,
Christian leaders have been admonished to play down on sermons of prosperity, but emphasise the need for prayers and salvation, if God must restore the glory of the nation.
Governor Ifeanyi Okowa who spoke at the weekend at the 20th anniversary celebration, of the Peace Foundation Bible Ministry, Asaba said that most ministers of God had failed to task their congregation on the need for a more closer relationship with God which has led to the increase in social vices across the country.
He said that only the prayer of Christians could lead the nation out of its present economic predicaments, and charged Deltans to be steadfast in their prayers for God’s mercies on the people and leadership of the state.
While decrying the increasing cases of pipeline vandalism, kidnapping and other criminal activities across the country, the governor said that he had decided to pray more and talk less no matter the level of blackmail and gossip.
The General Overseer of the Peace Foundation Bible Ministry, Bishop Prayer Okoh, called on the Christians to be united in taking their rightful place in the affairs of the nation.
He charged them not to be weary in well doing and pay more attention to the word of God for them to become more relevant in the affairs of the state and the nation at large.
In a sermon a guest minister, Bishop Abba Abdulkarim, said that Nigeria was failing because the church has failed in its responsibilities, and charged Christians to humble themselves and pray for God to heal the land.