UGHELLI/Nigeria: After protracted negotiations, the Delta State Government and the Catholic Diocese of Warri have reached a resolution regarding the ownership dispute over a portion of St. Theresa’s Grammar School premises in Ekiugbo, Ughelli North Local Government Area.
At a meeting convened in Asaba by the State Commissioner for Secondary Education, Mrs. Rose Ezewu, both parties agreed to a settlement, with the state government agreeing to pay Three Hundred Million Naira (N300 million) as compensation. This figure marks a reduction from the initial demand of Five Hundred Million Naira (N500 million) by the Warri Catholic Diocese.
Expressing satisfaction with the resolution, Commissioner Ezewu emphasized the importance of ensuring access to education for the children of Ekiugbo community through the public school system.
Mr. Augustine Oghoro, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, disclosed that the meeting was convened following a letter from the Bishop of Warri Diocese on February 3, 2024. He clarified that St. Theresa’s Grammar School was among the schools returned to churches by the state government in 2017.
Oghoro reiterated the government’s commitment to providing quality education and instilling moral values in children, underscoring the unfortunate nature of the disagreement between the government and the Catholic Diocese of Warri.
Representing the Catholic Diocese of Warri, Very Rev. Fr. Barnabas Esegine, the Vicar-General, conveyed the Bishop’s acceptance of the reduced compensation offer, stating that the Bishop had initially proposed Four Hundred Million Naira (N400 million) but agreed to reconsider in light of the government’s proposal.
