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From Okey Sampson, Umuahia
The Abia State government has given approval for the renovation and retrofitting of 221 public schools in the state.
Governor Alex Otti’s who disclosed this in Umuahia during this month’s media chat, said out of the number, 170 are primary schools, while the rest 51, will be secondary schools.
This is even as Otti will on Wednesday flag off the construction of the 30 kilometers Arochukwu – Ndiokereke – Ozu Abam road and followed by the 11.5 kilometers Nunya -Eluama -Isuikwuato road a week later.
Governor Otti said the renovation of the schools which will be carried out across the 17 Local Government Areas of the State, will be in addition to other interventions in the education sector.
He said all these were aimed at arming Abians with the right skills and knowledge to be relevant in the competitive global market.
“Just today (Monday), at our EXCO we approved the remodelling and retrofitting of 170 primary schools and 51 secondary schools across the length and breadth of the State. The whole idea is that, at the end of the year all our schools will have received the touch of rehabilitation and retrofitting.
“So as time goes on you will see that our schools will begin to wear a different look. And a standard school in Abia must look a certain way and when we are done with that, we also have a lot of things because the school is not just a structure, the most important, the curricula, what are we teaching our children. We must teach them what will be relevant in the 21st century”
On the lingering pension arrears, Otti assured that by the end of this month, the issue would have been resolved permanently.
Otti said that a committee has been working on modalities and implementation of upward review of salaries of Abia workers as promised and the federal government wage award to workers across the country, adding that the report of the committee was being expected soonest.
The Governor told Abians that efforts were on to retrieve farm estates which are currently in the hands of private investors
“We are working round the clock to see that all lands that are available particularly to the State are cultivated this planting season. They are quite a lot of plantations that we are still trying to disentangle. Some of them have been concessioned by previous governments to people who are actually not planting them and we have in the last few months been engaged in trying to disentangle some of those concessions.”
He said his administration has concluded plans to make available funds to 100 farmers and small business owners in each of the 17 Local Government Areas of the State in the first instance, while efforts will be made to extend the gesture to the ward level.
Otti said all these were aimed at ensuring food security in the State and assured that all available land in the state are cultivated this farming season for food sufficiency.
Meanwhile, Otti will on Wednesday flag off the construction of the 30 kilometers Arochukwu – Ndiokereke – Ozuabam road and followed by the 11.5 kilometers Nunya -Eluama -Isuikwuato road a week later, on the 26th of this month.
The Commissioner for Information and Culture, Okey Kanu disclosed this while briefing the press in Government House Umuahia, on the outcome of this week’s Executive Council meeting.
He said this was in keeping with the State government ‘s strategic road infrastructure development Initiative.
“Of course , roads are serious enablers for a good business environment and the State government will not relent in ensuring that roads in the State are put in very good motorable condition,” he stated.
