March 25, (THEWILL) – The Cross River State Government has warned school principals to desist from imposing illegal charges on their students.
The State’s Education Commissioner, Senator Dr. Stephen Odey, gave the warning in Calabar during a reception to mark his attainment of a doctorate degree in law and the launch of his new book – ‘Oil/Gas Pollution Abatement and Legislation in Nigeria’.
Senator Odey disclosed that change is coming to the state’s education sector and this explains the various reforms that have been introduced by the present government.
Speaking about the disposition of some principals, he said, “I am not tough but doing things differently. The old style is gone. One thing that is permanent in life is change and when people resist change, it means that something is wrong.
“Is there any appointment in the world that is not tenured that people will want to sit tight in a particular place for over fifteen years? Be ready for change for change is coming. Do your work and don’t collect illegal charges,” he said.
He said his degrees in education, sociology and law will help him in discharging his duties because while he is a philosopher, he looks at situations critically, analyses them, discusses them, and expatiates them and that makes him different.
He added that this is why you see all the reforms he is carrying out both administratively and legally in the educational sector.
He advised youths to be multidisciplinary because if you look at the situation in the country holistically, it’s not advisable to stick to one area of discipline hence the need to diversify.
Speaking on his newly launched book: ‘Oil/Gas Pollution Abatement and Legislation in Nigeria’, he said the book was influenced by his experience as a Senator and his experience in the Senate, as well as oversight activities of the Committee on Environment.
He said many laws are outdated and sometimes hardly implemented, which is to the detriment of the host communities.
He posited that the book will contribute immensely to scholarship as it delves into the intricacies of environmental challenges within Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.
He also explained that the comprehensive exploration in the book navigated key themes, from the historical roots of oil exploration to the critical issues of oil spillage, flaring and their profound impact on the Niger Delta region.
About the Author
THEWILL Correspondent, Aniekan Bassey has over six years experience that spans across several fields in print journalism including development communication, sexual reproductive and health rights issues, crime, climate change, social justice, business and human interest stories.
