Abia ready for Tinubu’s visit – Gov Otti
yarkarkara
. Says work to begin on Umuahia -Ikot Ekpene road
. Begins expansion of Aba prison
By Steve Oko
Governor Alex Otti of Abia State has said that the state “is fully ready” for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s visit on Friday, October 3.
This is as he said his administration had begun the renovation and expansion of the Aba correctional centre to improve the living conditions of the inmates.
Otto, who spoke during a media parley in Umuahia, said the President would, during the visit, inaugurate the Port Harcourt Road, Aba and some other key road projects executed by his administration.
He expressed satisfaction with the quality of the job done by the contractor handling the Port Harcourt road in Aba, saying that his administration believes in quality work.
Otti, who identified infrastructural deficit, particularly bad roads, as a major challenge of the state, promised that his administration would continue to address them.
The Governor also stated that reconstruction work would soon commence on the Umuahia-Ikot Ekpene federal road, which has been in a state of disrepair for decades.
Recall that for over eight years, the federal government has awarded a contract for the reconstruction of the 51-kilometer road; however, a larger portion of the road has been abandoned.
The deplorable condition of the road has continued to elicit public outcry, prompting the state government to intervene.
Gov. Otti stated that his administration would not work for any parochial interest but would serve the interests of the masses.
He also said he would not be distracted by the antics of embittered opposition who resorted to destructive criticism out of mischief, ignorance, or political desperation.
Otti said his administration had made significant progress in the health sector, as over 140 out of the 200 primary health centres had been renovated and equipped, assuring that the rest would soon follow.
He stated that the ongoing recruitment of 771 health workers aimed to bridge the manpower gap in the sector, disclosing that applications had been received from outside Nigeria, including South Africa and Zambia.
This, according to him, is a testament to the confidence the international community is reposing in the state administration.
Similarly, he said tremendous achievement had been recorded in the education sector after his administration initiated the policy of free education from primary to junior secondary three.
He stated that the 5,000 newly recruited teachers had been deployed, while the recruitment of an additional 4,000 is ongoing.
This, he said had seriously improved the quality of education in public schools across the state.
“It gives me so much joy that education is free from primary to JS3 in Abia, and we will continue to invest in the sector”, he said
He commended the management of Ogbonnaya Onu Polytechnic Aba for ensuring the accreditation of all 33 programmes of the institution, describing it as a rare feat.
The Governor lauded the Rector, Dr. Christopher Okoro Kalu, for his visionary leadership, which has repositioned the institution.
Similarly, he said that massive work was underway at the College of Education Technical Arochukwu, which he described as “is very central to whatever we are doing in the education sector.”
He said that the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs was collaborating with LGA authorities in agriculture to boost food security and reduce rural-urban migration.
Otti also stated that four evening markets were being established in each LGA to help boost local economies, adding that each market would feature solar lights and conveniences.
On the Nsulu airport project, Otti stated that construction of the runway, which is the state’s contribution to the joint project, had commenced.
He said the other parts of the project, which are under the purview of the federal government, would soon commence.
The Governor stated that he had directed the cause of the recent protest by some land donors to be addressed, explaining that the omission occurred because some landowners did not complete their documentation before compensation payments began.
Assuring that no genuine landowner will be omitted from the payment of compensation, the Governor appealed for calm while the matter is being sorted out.
On the recent splitting of the Ministry of Lands and Housing into two separate ministries, the Governor explained that it became expedient because it had become too overwhelming, and inefficiency was beginning to creep in.
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