The Abia State House of Assembly Joint Committee on Education, Public Petition, and Judiciary has launched an investigation following a petition by Mr. Chukwudi Onwudinanti, an indigene of Ubani Emede-Ibeku, Umuahia East Constituency, over alleged irregularities involving the Fisher Education Development Trust (FEDT).
Onwudinanti, a former student of Government College Umuahia (GCU), accused the FEDT of imposing exorbitant school fees, exceeding ₦1.1 million per year, effectively shutting out brilliant but underprivileged students from Ibeku and Umuahia East. He also raised concerns about the demolition of historic school structures, which have been replaced with lawns.
Additionally, he alleged that members of the Government College Umuahia Old Boys Association (GCUOBA) have been excluded from nominating representatives to the school’s governing board. Represented by his lawyer, Ugochukwu Chigozie Zik, Onwudinanti argued that the current privatization model contradicts the 2014 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Abia State government and GCUOBA.
He urged the House of Assembly to intervene, emphasizing that the institution, which has produced notable figures such as Professor Chinua Achebe, Ken Saro-Wiwa, Professor Elechi Amadi, Professor Laz Ekwueme, and several current Abia State senators, should not be reduced to an exclusive enterprise.
Dr. Chinedum Ahaiwe, National President of GCUOBA, further alleged that the school’s Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) has been withheld from association members by FEDT officials.
In response, Chuma Onwudiwe, Secretary of FEDT, stated that neither he nor the trust members were officially notified of the Assembly’s summons.
Chairman of the House Committee, Anderson Akaliro, assured that FEDT representatives would be given a fair chance to present their defence before any decision is made. He ordered them to appear before the committee by the following Thursday, alongside GCUOBA members.
Deputy Speaker Austin Okezie emphasized that the committee has only two weeks to conclude its findings.
