The Abia State House of Assembly Joint Committee on Education, Public Petition, and Judiciary has launched an investigation into allegations against the Fisher Education Development Trust (FEDT) over the management of Government College Umuahia (GCU).

The probe follows a petition submitted by Mr Chukwudi Onwudinanti, an indigene of Ubani Emede-Ibeku in Umuahia East constituency and a former student of the prestigious institution.

In his petition, read by his lawyer, Ugochukwu Chigozie Zik, Onwudinanti accused FEDT of implementing elitist policies that have shut out brilliant students from Ibeku and Umuahia East due to exorbitant school fees, now exceeding one million naira annually.

He lamented that children from low- and middle-income backgrounds, including those of Government College Umuahia Old Boys Association (GCUOBA) members, could no longer afford admission into the school.

READ ALSO:

Furthermore, he alleged that monumental buildings in the school had been demolished and replaced with lawns, while GCUOBA members have been denied the opportunity to nominate representatives to the school’s Board.

According to him, the current management system contradicts the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed on July 21, 2014, between the Abia State Government and GCUOBA, which originally sought to preserve the school’s legacy and accessibility.

Onwudinanti urged the Abia State House of Assembly to intervene, expressing concerns that an institution that produced great personalities such as Professor Chinua Achebe, Ken Saro-Wiwa, Professor Elechi Amadi, Professor Laz Ekwueme, and several serving senators from Abia State, was now being run as an exclusive private enterprise.

Also speaking, the National President of GCUOBA, Dr. Chinedum Ahaiwe, accused FEDT officials of withholding the school’s Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) from Old Boys’ Association members.

However, in response, FEDT Secretary Chuma Onwudiwe, who arrived later at the hearing, claimed that the committee’s invitation had not been properly communicated to him or other members of FEDT.

Reacting to the petition, the Chairman of the Joint Committee, Hon. Anderson Akaliro, assured that FEDT officials would be given an opportunity to defend themselves.

He directed that they appear before the committee on Thursday next week, along with representatives of the Old Boys’ Association.

Meanwhile, the Deputy Speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly, Hon. Austin Okezie, emphasized that the committee had only two weeks to complete its investigation and present its findings.

The hearing is expected to shed light on the future of Government College Umuahia and whether reforms will be implemented to make the school more accessible to students from diverse economic backgrounds.