Abia govt. moves to recover all public schools’ lands

BY EMEKA OKAFOR

The Abia State Government has constituted a special committee to recover all encumbered public schools in the state.

The committee which is headed by the Chief of staff to the Governor, Pastor Caleb Ajagba, has the Commissioner for Education, Prof. Uche Eme Uche as Secretary and Honourable Commissioners for Justice, Lands and Housing, Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, GM UCDA, GM GADA as well as the Chief Security Officer to the Governor as members.

Briefing news men on the outcome of this week’s State Executive Council , the Commissioner for Information and Culture, Prince Okey Kanu said the committee is saddled with the task of identifying about 180 public schools whose land has been taken over by officials and cronies of the immediate past administration .

According to him, government would not tolerate the greed and mindless impunity by a privileged few who have surreptitiously taken over lands belonging to government schools. He equally condemned the misuse of schools handed back to different organizations stressing that such schools must be used exclusively for educational purposes.

“The state government has equally condemned the misuse and misapplication of schools that have been handed over to different organizations.

“The state government insists that such schools must be used exclusively for educational activities. The government advises such organizations who find it difficult to run those schools to return them to government.” Prince Kanu stressed.

Prince Kanu said that a full diagnostic assessment of the educational sector of the state has been conducted, adding that about 12, 000 teachers in public schools will undergo a capacity building program during the summer to prepare them for the emergent new look schools that government would have from September.

He equally announced that work has commenced at the Federal College of Education, Ofeme, Umuahia North LGA, fully supported by the Abia State Government, adding that the state government has supported the college to secure an office at the Okpara round about for a smooth take off of activity.

Prince Kanu warned that henceforth, those driving without vehicle number plates or hooded number plates would be apprehended and punished accordingly by security agencies.

The Commissioner said that government is continuing with the “Light Up Abia Initiative”

“The light up Abia initiative has continued and gone a notch higher.

Also, the rural electrification initiative of the state government is set to be executed in the three senatorial zones of the state.”

“It is appropriate to note that over 2,500 solar powered light panels had been installed across the state, majorly between Umuahia, Aba, Ohafia and such other isolated institutions like Abia State University,Uturu .

He revealed that government would soon resuscitate the rural electrification project in the rural communities disclosing that 50 transformers would be distributed to selected communities across the state. He further disclosed that the revamping of Ariaria and Ubakala water projects would soon commence.

Contributing, the Commissioner for Power and Public Utilities, Engr. Ikechukwu Monday explained that the water project which is being financed by USAID is targeted at revamping two water schemes.

“These water schemes are to be revamped and reticulated to 320 homes each. So, you are talking about 640 homes. It’s completely our partners that are financing the water scheme.

“They have been going through the process of hiring the contractors that will execute it. Engr. Monday maintained.

Responding to questions, the Special Adviser to the governor on Media and Publicity, Mr. Ferdinand Ekeoma, dismissed the rumour making the rounds that the staff of office of the newly coronated Eze Aro, Dr. Eberechukwu Oji has been

withdrawn from him, adding the state government did not receive any court order to that effect.

“The rumor is false, it’s baseless , it’s unfounded. It’s government that issues staff of office ,it’s government that recognizes every Eze. When you are coronated you are issued with staff of office, you are given a certificate.

“And those processes were completely adhered to. No person who has not been recognized, who has not gone through the process has the locus to challenge the coronated Eze. Government has not gotten any court order”

Also, answering a question, the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr. Ukoha Njoku Ukoha explained that the office of the Chief Press Secretary to the governor is embarking on the update of the activities of the MDAs to present pictorial representations in form of still and motion pictures and put them in a documentary form to showcase the various achievements of Governor Alex Otti in various MDAs

Mr Ukoha said that those documentaries would be released on daily bases, adding that,

“Those documentaries would be used to give proper information of what the government is really doing with pictorial evidence”.