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| Governor of Cross River State, Ben Ayade |
Governor of Cross River State, Ben Ayade, has returned six primary schools to their original owners, the Catholic Church.
The schools are Sacred Heart Primary School, Calabar; St. Mary’s Primary School and its convent school, Calabar and St. Peter’s Primary School, Ekpene Tete, Akpabuyo.
Others are St. Benedict’s Primary School, Igoli, Ogoja; St. Joseph’s Primary School Idum, Mbube, Ogoja; St. Eugene’s Primary School, Ochon, Obubra.
Ayade said the government had no choice but to return the schools to their original owners. He was sure the church would bring standard to bear in running of the schools.
He said: “With the way you have conducted yourself, the government has no hesitation, in spite of our concern, but to give up the six schools at a go. It is also important that we look at the performance of the schools we are handing over today and see whether they have done well.”
Justifying the return of the schools, Ayade told the Archbishop of Calabar Archdiocese, Archbishop Joseph Effiong Ekuwem, that “owing to our spiritual belief in you as a man of honour and a man who God has used to move mountains, who am I to say no when a man of God has made a request, who am I to say no to God?
“We have, in honour of you and indeed all the churches, say that what belongs to God must be given to God.”
Archbishop Ekuwem, who thanked Ayade for the gesture, said: “Now that Your Excellency is handing back six of the schools in the three senatorial zones made up of Calabar archdiocese and Ogoja diocese, I know this is still a process and I am looking forward to a day when all the remaining schools will be returned.
“We plead first for my sister churches, the same church of God beginning with Presbyterian Church whose name I heard today and the request they have made and those that have not asked and requested the government to give us schools…”
