Rivers
Okrika SOLAD Charges Students On Involvement In Drugs, Others
The Sole Administrator of Okrika Local Government Area, Engr. Tamunobipiboye Thompson Isodiki, has called on the leadership and membership of the Wakirike National Students Union to play a major role in re-orienting youth against drug involvement and other criminal activities.
Isodiki, who gave the advice recently when the Wakirike National Students Union and leaders of various tertiary institutions paid him a courtesy visit in his office, expressed concern about the alarming increase in the number of drug addicts and other criminal activities involving the young people.
He noted that if this trend is not checked, it would create serious problems in the Local Government Area.
“As students, I expect you to discourage young people who are seriously involved in these acts in order to create a crime-free society”, he said.
The Sole Administrator continued that, “my stay in office is not tenured, but I will pursue people-oriented programmes and projects for the overall benefit of our people.
“My decision to embark on the Joint Admission Matriculation Board (JAMB) Computer Based Testing (CBT) is aimed at reducing the pain experienced by the teeming population of candidates of our Local Government Area, to enable them write the test.”
He noted that the recent take-over of the Ogoloma Youth Centre by the Council was “a deliberate attempt to train youths to acquire skills, to provide middle level manpower, and create employment opportunities among our youth.”
He also addressed Bursary payment issue raised by the students, saying, “as essential as it is, the Government will study the situation among other pressing issues and within available resources we will pay Bursary in due time.
“Other groups have also visited the Council for one request or the other, and these are all based on funds.”
Isodiki, however, emphasized that a careful study would be undertaken to give the needed support based on the resources of the Council.
He also assured the students that the Council will partner with them in executing their planned laudable programmes.
While thanking the students for the visit, he urged them to be focused on their studies and avoid issues that would bring shame to their parents and the generality of the Local Government Area.
Also, speaking the Chief of Staff to the Sole Administrator, Dr. Paul Wakama, cautioned the students not to embark on journeys to campuses across the country for welfare, bearing in mind the prevailing security risks such journeys may entail.
He added that they should make do with the global communication advantage to reach out to other students.
Earlier, the National President of the Wakirike Students Union, Mr. Owubokiri Bright Jamabo, had congratulated the Sole Administrator on his appointment and announced him as the Patron of the union by reason of his appointment.
Jamabo disclosed that the Union would carry out summer classes during the long vacation to teach secondary school pupils in all subjects, including Okrika Language.
He appealed to the Sole Administrator to pay bursary to students and sponsor the various activities and programmes, especially the Cultural Day Programme, of the Rivers State College of Health and Science, and promised that the students would always support the Sole Administrator to succeed in office.
Soibi Max-Alalibo