The Cross River State Government says it has not banned assemblies, prayers or devotion in schools in the state.
A statement signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Barr Tina Banku Agbor, on Friday said that a circular issued by the Permanent Secretary to the Ministry of Education, Mrs Anne O. Odey, suspending assemblies in schools should be disregarded.
“The circular issued by the Permanent Secretary was neither at the instance of the State Governor, Professor Ben Ayade nor with his knowledge.
“The Permanent Secretary claims to have issued the circular based on the directive of the State Commissioner of Police who was purportedly acting at the instance of the Inspector-General of Police, over security concerns.
”We wish to state categorically that it is not the policy of this administration to infringe on the freedom of worship of Cross Riverians and all who reside in the state,” the statement concluded.
The statement advised schools in Cross River State to disregard the circular from the Permanent Secretary, saying she acted beyond her brief.
Meanwhile, the Governor has directed the setting up of a 3-man panel to investigate the circumstances surrounding the issuance of the circular by the Permanent Secretary without recourse to higher authorities .
The panel is to be chaired by the Deputy Governor with the Secretary to the State Government as the Secretary. According to the statement by Agbor, the panel is to be chaired by the Deputy Governor, Prof. Ivara Esu, with the Secretary to the State Government as the secretary.
However, in an interview with journalists on Friday, Ngaji said the governor had directed that the permanent be suspended indefinitely while the ban be lifted immediately.
