The Delta State Government has concluded plans to stop underage children from hawking in the streets and ensure that all children of school age compulsorily attend school as part of the free education policy of the state government.

Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan disclosed this yesterday in Asaba, the state capital, during the funeral Service for Mama Angelina Onyebuchi Azinge, mother of Prof. Epiphany Azinge, Director-General, Nigerian Institute of Legal Studies.

He said: “Education is important and it is our responsibility to make it possible for our people to attend school especially those who cannot pay for it. It is our responsibility to ensure that our children go to school. That is why we made it free at the basic and secondary levels. Soon we will deal with the case of our children who are hawking rather than being in school. It is our responsibility to ensure that they are in school. We want to ensure that our children and youths get basic education and skills to survive in life.”

Dr. Uduaghan admonished parents to ensure the good moral and spiritual upbringing of their wards so that they would become useful citizens, saying that parents should create enough time for their children’s welfare, moral and spiritual training.

He called on parents to take care of the children’s physical and moral upbringing and mould them into nation builders, explaining that lack of care and discipline has led to a lot of security and criminal challenges among youths.

“It is your responsibility as parents to ensure that your children are brought up physically and morally because lack of care and character has led to a lot of the security challenges we face in our society. Take out time to mould your children because if they are not well cared for and brought up, they will grow up to become security problems for the nation rather than nation builders,” the governor said.

While commending the late Mama Angelina Azinge for her tireless efforts in raising and caring for her children who are now contributing to the development of the nation, he urged parents to emulate her and raise their children in the way of the Lord.

Dr. Uduaghan described the life of Mama Angelina Onyebuchi Azinge as a study in human capital development, explaining that through the trials and challenges she faced, she turned out to be an industrious and virtuous woman.

Describing his administration’s 3-Point Agenda as not misplaced and important to the development of the state, Governor Uduaghan called on political leaders to play key roles in providing free health care, free education and security to the people explaining that it was their responsibility to meet the needs of the people.

“Leaders are assessed by their developmental achievements but if the people have nothing in their stomachs and their interests are not considered, they will not appreciate whatever efforts you make,” he said, adding: “It is our responsibility to provide the opportunities our people need to get better education, better health care and ensure their safety as well.”

In his sermon, the Bishop of Asaba Diocese, Rt. Rev. Justus Mogekwu, called on President Goodluck Jonathan to immediately sign into law the bill prohibiting same-sex marriage which he described as “an evil curse from the pit of hell, which is against the moral values, norms and traditions of the African Society.” He opined that same sex marriage has nothing to do with human rights or freedom of association.

According to him, “the Western world cannot dictate the moral values and norms of our society. I wish to condemn their stance and pressure on Africans to accept same sex marriage and remind them that same sex marriage is unbiblical and against the ethics of marriage. They can keep their aids and assistance if acceptance of same sex marriage is a pre-condition.”

Rt. Rev. Mogekwu commended the National Assembly for taking the initiative in passing the bill against same sex marriage and recognising that it is evil. He enjoined the political class and indeed Nigerians to appeal to the President to immediately assent to the bill and not bow to the pressure and blackmail of the Western countries.

The Bishop commended the life of late Mama Angelina Onyebuchi Azinge, whom he described as a virtuous and industrious woman who catered for her children and imbibed in them the Christian values which they exhibit today.

He called on the children to maintain the legacies of their mother and continue to serve humanity
in all they do and advised them to put their trust in Christ as their mother did, and seek His face always.
Dignitaries at the funeral service included members of the Delta State Executive Council, National and State Houses of Assembly, Chief Okwesilieze Nwodo, the Archbishop Metropolitan and Primate of All Nigeria Anglican Church, The Most Reverend Nicholas Okoh, the Bishop of Enugu Diocese, Rt. Reverend Emmanuel Chukwumah and an array of other Bishops from all over Nigeria.

•Photo shows Governor Uduaghan.

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