By Esseh Ikora,Uyo
Over 1,600 members of the Parents Teachers Association (PTA) of the Federal Government College (FGC), Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State took to the streets today, protesting against alleged extortion of N100 million by the management of the college.
Although the Police stopped the protest granting the request, the aggrieved parents marched to Uyo, the State capital with placards of various inscriptions:
“We are tired of sundry charges from FGC Principal;” “Save us from the hands of Festus Dappa;” “Our children are not safe at FGC Ikot Ekpene”; “The Principal has siphoned our common resources through sundry illegal dues\charges”.
Addressing news men after the protest march along major streets in Uyo, the Chairman of PTA at FGC Ikot Ekpene, Hon. Imoh Abam said the protest became necessary “as we can no longer suffer in silence”.
Abam, who demanded full scale investigation into the matter, listed some of the subheads under which the Principal fleece the parents to include “Year Book, N27,000 each from 357 graduating students, House, Class and Exam dues, as well as medical fees.
Others include payment of teachers and non teaching staff by parents, payment of N5,000 per term on what the Principal called Skool Media, a computer based programme under the general Information and Communication Technology (ICT).
They demand full scale investigation of financial mismanagement by principal officers of FGC Ikot Ekpene with a view to sanctioning them.
When contacted on phone for reaction to the allegations, Dappa said that he would not speak immediately on the issues.
He fixed a formal meeting with news men to address the allegations in his office in Ikot Ekpene.