By CrossRiverWatch Admin
- Leave or stay – Commissioner for Education
The Cross River State Commissioner for Education Mr. Godwin Amanke in an ongoing meeting with stakeholders in College of Health Technology Auditorium, Calabar, asked a pressman covering the event to take a walk as the State doesn’t want to be misquoted.
The Commissioner, before making his speech in the meeting geared towards schools resumption in the State took the microphone drew his nose mask down and enquired severally “is there any pressman here”.
After repeatedly asking, a reporter indentified himself by raise of hand. And he beckoned “come forward please”.
After meeting him, the State Education boss asked the journalist who happens to be the only pressman present at the time to identify himself. At this point, he identified himself as a CrossRiverWatch reporter.
Having introduced self and media organization, Mr. Amanke warned that he does not want the “forum to be reported or photographs taken as whatever will be done or say” will only remain with them.
“We will not be expecting you to write anything about this forum, we will not be expecting you to snap, we will not be expecting you to do any reportage about this forum as much as we have respect for you and your organization. It is not all about you alone because you came from one organization, no.
“If you see the invitation, we did not invite pressmen here; the State Director of National Communication Agency, Mr. Ogban had requested to be here and I said no he shouldn’t come. The reason of we being here is for us to talk as a house; we are here to quarrel and here to settle among the issue at stake. We don’t want anybody to go there and miss represent us, say what we did not say or will not say what we said, I’m I understood ?” He warned asked.
He concluded by asking the CrossRiverWatch reporter to either join them or leave.
The Commissioner had earlier issued a press release inviting stakeholders to join him to brainstorm on “pros and cons for school reopening”.
TheaThe guest are all Special Advisers on Education, all Senior Special Assistants on Education, all Special Assistants on Education, the Executive Chairman and Members of the State Universal Basic Education Board, the Chairman and Members of Secondary Education Board, the Executive Secretary and Members of the Science and Technical Education Board, Chairman and Members of Governor’s Advisory Committee on Education, Chairman, Members of Private Schools Regulatory Board and Chairman and Members of Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT);
Others are Chairman and Members of National Parents Teachers Association of Nigeria (NAPTAN/PTA) Cross River State, Chairman and Members of all Conference of Principals of Secondary Schools (ANCOPS), Chairman and Members of Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS), Chairman and Members of Association of Heads of Primary Schools of Nigeria (AOHPSON) and all Directors and Members of Management, Ministry of Education, Calabar.
As at the time of filing this report, the meeting was ongoing.
It will be recalled that the Federal Government after reviewing guidelines for reopening of schools changed it’s mind over the rise in curve of the dreaded coronavirus pandemic bedeviling the world.
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