Foundation enrols 22 inmates for 2022 WASSCE

Ini Billie, Uyo

The Ini Ememobong Foundation in association with Rotary Club of Uyo Metropolis has enrolled 22 inmates of the Nigerian Correctional Service in Uyo for the 2022 West African Senior School Certificate Examinations.

The inmates comprising 17 females and five males are currently serving various jail terms at the correctional facility along Wellington Bassey Way, Uyo.

The non-governmental organisation also donated 965 school uniforms to students and several new wrappers to teachers of Union Secondary School in Ibiaku in Ibiono Ibom Local Government Area.

The chairman of the foundation and President of the Rotary Club of Uyo Metropolis, Ini Ememobong, said on Friday that the gesture was in line with the free and compulsory education policy of the state government.

According to him, the gesture was a call to service for public-spirited individuals to support government effort in extending the opportunity to be educated to every class of Akwa Ibom children.

“This gesture is in support of what the State Governor, Mr Udom Emmanuel is doing in the education sector. Government cannot do it alone, therefore, people must rise to the occasion, and Rotary Club International realised that a long time ago and rose to the occasion globally.

“Her Excellency, the First Lady of our state is also very passionate about the girl-child education, and upholding the dignity of the girl-child, therefore, this project is done to complement what she is doing for humanity through her NGO, FEYREP, so that our daughters can continue to look beautiful even in their school uniforms,” he said.

Speaking also, the District Governor of Rotary District 9142, Dr Okey Okonkwo said the collaboration has further helped the club to attain a milestone in its humanitarian services to the people.

“I am particularly thrilled by the number of the beneficiaries this single collaboration has been able to touch, and I want to commend the Ini Ememobong Foundation for this show of love to the students because I know that this would go a long way to enhance their welfare,” he added.

Earlier, the President of Rotary Club of Uyo Metropolis, Ememobong instituted the Rotary Peace Scholarship for Peace and Conflict Resolutions for master’s and doctorate candidates studying in the Department of History and International Studies at the University of Uyo and presented to them a cheque of N400,000.

He said the scholarship award was instituted to help train people who would serve as qualified conflict managers, to restore peace in areas where their services would be most needed.

He said: “We at Rotary believe that we can take local actions that can affect the international communities.

“Therefore, there is no reason for a department like this, which is known for churning out bright students not to have an instituted programme that would enable us to sponsor research in vital areas of human existence.

“And I sincerely hope that with this effort, more research would be carried out in conflict resolutions.”