Imo Thomas -Umuahia.
The Abia State Government says it has received and processed over seventeen thousand applications for the ongoing recruitment of 2,500 teachers at the basic and secondary school levels.
The Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, disclosed this while briefing the press on the outcome of this week’s executive council meeting presided over by Governor Alex Otti.
He said that the shortlisted candidates would be subjected to computer-based tests (CBT) while those who pass the computer test would thereafter be subjected to oral interviews before actual recruitment.
The Commissioner assured that the exercise would be transparent and merit-based and would provide equal opportunities for all applicants.
“So far about 17,000 applications have been received and processed and still counting. The shortlisted candidates would be subjected to a computer-based test, after which those who pass such a test would attend the oral interview.
“It is after that process that they will be finally recruited. But what is key here is that in all these, the exercise will be merit-based and transparent. There will be equal opportunity for everybody,” Prince Kanu stated.
Prince Kanu also informed that the Belgium-medical mission has ended in the state with the team conducting 114 successful major surgeries while an additional 915 patients with various medical cases were attended to.
He said that the mission made it possible for the government to acquire a new set of sophisticated medical equipment for the Abia State University Teaching Hospital (ABSUTH) where the medical mission took place, adding that going forward, the Ministry of Health would issue a new set of standards for medical outreaches in the state.
He revealed that the state government surpassed its IGR target of 32 Billion Naira in 2024 by generating 39 Billion Naira and expressed the hope that in 2025, the state would do much better.
“It has to be put on record that in the past year, the state surpassed its set target in that regard. In the 2025 budget, the state government has planned to scale up its IGR base by targeting about 120 billion which amounts to about a 207 percent increase over the IGR target of the previous year
“Consequently, the state government is embarking on several reforms initiated to achieve this and to ensure that Abia State citizens are better served through more developmental programs and initiatives,” Prince Kanu stated.
The Commissioner, equally recalled that a few days’ ago, the state celebrated Abia State Disabilities Day with a two-day activity done by the Disabilities Commission and maintained that to cap the celebration for this year, the state government has adopted a deliberate policy of providing ramps in all public buildings and special parking lots for persons with disabilities.
The information Commissioner equally announced that the state Ministry of Poverty Alleviation and Social Protection has awarded the contract for the maintenance of roads in 7-Local government states, including Isuikwuato, Isiala Ngwa North and South, Obingwa, Ikwuano, Ukwa East and Ugwunagbo LGAS.
He said that the roads consist of about 59 kilometers under the Abia state Rural Access Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP), which is being sponsored by the World Bank while the contractors would soon be mobilized to the site.
“This is a World Bank-assisted project, and the contractors would soon be mobilized to the site. This no doubt adds another dimension to the rural road infrastructural development agenda of this administration,” Prince Kanu noted.
The Information Commissioner said that the draft document for the Abia State Social Protection Policy was reviewed last week during a workshop in collaboration with relevant implementation stakeholders to provide social security for its citizens.
He said that the plan of the state government is to develop an equitable and functional protection policy system that protects the most vulnerable groups in the state to address poverty, unemployment, and social tensions.
Contributing, the Commissioner for Poverty Alleviation and Social Protection, Mrs. Blessing Felix, said that the plan of fixing the rural roads underscores Governor Alex Otti ‘s commitment towards the empowerment of local businesses in communities.
“We call it backlog rural road maintenance and 59 kilometers of rural roads are involved. This is part of Governor Alex Otti ‘s commitment to the empowerment of local businesses in communities since their livelihood depends on accessible roads and robust agriculture.
“It’s an ongoing project geared towards having agricultural hubs. The project is designed to improve access to rural areas by rehabilitating and maintaining key rural infrastructure to support agricultural marketing and cost reduction post-harvest, Felix said.
