CEPEJ’s Intervention at Ijakpa Primary School’s Substandard School Building

In line with its core mandate, an Environmental Non-Governmental Organization, Center for Peace & Environmental Justice (CEPEJ) in April 2019, visited one of the substandard schools in Jakpa Community of Uvwie Local Government Area of Delta State, where the NGO raised an alarm over the school environment that has been bastardized as a result of indiscriminate dumping of refuse in and around its premises, and the alleged failure of the Delta State Government and its agencies to build the school’s permanent site that is conducive for learning.

After series of letters to and engagement with the Delta State Government and other stakeholders in July 2019, on the need for government and other relevant stakeholders to complete the new school building project which had been abandoned for over 9 years, the Center for Peace and Environmental Justice is happy to express its satisfaction over the prompt response by the Okowa Administration to the school building project which has progressed from the foundation to the roofing stage.

In an interview, the Headmistress of the school, Mrs. Omavuorie Margaret, appreciated CEPEJ’s National Coordinator, Comrade Sheriff Mulade for his intervention, stressing that the efforts of the Center for Peace and Environmental Justice have made the school building a reality. She also commended and appealed to the Delta State Government to make provisions for security, through perimeter fencing of the new school building.

Some pupils of the school also commended the Delta State Government for providing them with a new and conductive learning environment, but urged the State Government to expedite action towards completing the school building project. They also appealed to government to provide buses for the school.

For her part, the Head of Administration Department of the Centre for Peace and Environmental Justice, Mrs. Tina Agidi applauded the Delta State Government for its prompt action following CEPEJ’s intervention, and called for its sustenance.

Meanwhile, the National Coordinator of CEPEJ, Comrade Sheriff Mulade has commended Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa for being a listening and performing Governor in the state, and promised to monitor the project to its completion, commissioning and handing over to the IJakpa Community.

He further appealed to the Delta State Ministry of Environment to provide the school with a bull dozer so that all garbage can be removed from in and around the school environment.