By Our reporter
Former Secretary General of the Commonwealth, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, has called on federal government to devote more efforts in tackling increasing cases of killings across the country.
He said the ugly trend had continued unabated due to lack of arrests and subsequent prosecution of perpetrators of the dastardly acts.
Anyaoku spoke in Oba in Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra State during the 2024 Summit and Award ceremony of Merchants of Light School, Old Boys Association Worldwide themed, ‘Alumni Engagement in the Management and Improvement of their Alma Mater’
He called on government to deploy forces to apprehend and punish those behind the killings to serve as deterrent to others.
He said, “The federal government should devote efforts to find those responsible for these killings.
“What’s particularly depressing is that these killings occur and nobody seems to be held responsible and charged accordingly.
“The first thing government should do is to deploy its agencies and forces to apprehend those pepetuating the killings because that’s the only way to address the problem.
“If they’re apprehended, prosecuted and punished, that would serve as deterrent to others to continue the killings.”
Anyaoku also charged federal government to work harder to meet up with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) recommendation of 26 percentage for education.
He added, “Federal government isn’t doing enough for the education sector. The percentage of education in the budget is well below the UNESCO recommendation.
“I like to see the government work harder to meet up with the UNESCO recommendation of 26 percentage.”
While proposing for endowment fund for educational institutions across the country, Anyaoku, an alumnus of the Merchant of Light School and chairman of the occasion said the fund would provide the alumni association opportunity to support the school.
“In many institutions in foreign countries, the school’s endowment fund are the main source of financial support for the institutions.
“Hence, in proposing the endowment fund for Merchant of Light school, I hope the alumni will willingly and regularly donate to support development of structures and facilities in the school,” he stressed.
Earlier, President of the Alumni association, Prof Tony Nwokoye said the summit not only served as homecoming for Old Boys of the school but also afforded them opportunity to take stock of developments in the school and determine possible areas of intervention.
He identified some of the areas that needed attention in the school as, befitting modern main gate, rehabilitation of Vice Principal’s quarters, repair and refurbishing of two grounded buses of the school, reconstruction of more dormitories, among others.
He expressed optimism that the N2billion Endowment Fund being floated by the Alumni would go a long way to revitalizating the school over a five-year period.
