‘We are not against rebuilding of Chibok school’

Representatives of the Chibok community in Borno State on Wednesday in Abuja met with the Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, as part of efforts to ensure the successful implementation of the safe school initiative.

At the end of the meeting, which was attended by stakeholders from Chibok, the Chairman, Parents Teachers Association of the Government Secondary School, Chibok, Mr Dunoma Mpur, told journalists that at no time was the community against the reconstruction of the school.

President Goodluck Jonathan had two weeks ago laid the foundation stone for the reconstruction of the Government Secondary School, Chibok, which was destroyed by Boko Haram insurgents, who seized over 200 students of the school since April 14 last year.

The President had said his administration was determined to root out insurgency in the North-East region to enable residents of the area return to normal life.

However, following the inauguration, some indigenes of the Chibok community had rejected the gesture by the government to reconstruct the school, stating that the offer could not take priority over their daughters in the custody of insurgents.

But Mpur, who led the delegation to the finance minister, commended the Federal Government for standing by them and putting structures in place for the reconstruction and rehabilitation of their communities.

He said, “Our priority is the rescue of our daughters, please bring them back safe. We are here to dispel the reports of rejecting the building of the school.

“We parents who are at home need the reconstruction of this school, we welcome it wholeheartedly.

“Our prayers are with our daughters and we hope and pray to see them very soon.”