…Urges Abia People To Prepare For Extensive Govt Intervention in Health, Education

Abia State Governor, Dr Alex Otti has announced that his administration has mapped out the sum of N18.9 billion to support economically vulnerable individuals and families in the New Year.

Otti, who made this announcement during his New Year broadcast said as an administration that understands the tough economic realities of the times, it is, therefore, a nọ-brainer to make such a move.

The Governor said that while his administration insists that wealth and prosperity cannot be built through handouts; it is also a statement of fact that many will find it difficult to survive in the short run without a structured system of social support.

He said that the provision of the huge sum to drive Abia’s Social Protection Agenda speaks to the determination of the State Government to use the levers of public office to redistribute wealth and ensure that the fruits of social prosperity get to everyone, especially those on the lowest rungs of the income ladder.

Otti said that 2025 holds very important promises for the Abia people and called on everyone to prepare for extensive government interventions in the education and health sectors where his administration, just like in 2024, will commit 35% of Abia’s entire budgetary outlay.

He explained that the groundbreaking ceremony for the Abia Medical City Project will happen in the next few weeks.

According to him, the project promises to revolutionise the healthcare delivery ecosystem in the South-East, cut down the rate of medical tourism and provide incentives for the retention of top medical talents in Abia state.

Otti said that the ongoing renovation of 200 primary healthcare centres will also be completed in the first quarter of the New Year to boost access to quality health services, especially in rural communities.

Going further, the Abia Governor said that the government shall fast-track efforts to remake Abia schools into centres of excellence in effective teaching and learning, adding that the law mandating all children of school age to be in school every school day comes into effect from 1st January 2025.

Otti warned that as soon as the new school term begins later in the month, it will be unlawful to find any child outside the walls of the classroom during school hours.

He announced that his administration has stopped all forms of payments in the primary and secondary schools, as not even PTA levies should be charged to any parent or guardian in any public school in the State.

“We have introduced an imprest account system for the running of schools. Headteachers and school principals are now entitled to specific sums every month for managing the day-to-day operations of their schools.

“There is, therefore, no excuse to extort or deny any child the opportunities that come with learning and enlightenment. We shall be strict with enforcement and it will be a grievous mistake to test our will.”

Otti said that beyond his administration’s strategic infrastructure development initiatives as captured in the 2025 Appropriation Act which it intends to implement faithfully, it shall also continue to prioritise the security of lives and property, adopting necessary measures to keep criminals and their sponsors out of the State.

“Again, I would like to restate that we shall not hesitate to deploy the full might of the Government against any individual or group whose activities pose a threat to the safety of our people,” Otti said.

He said that his administration in 2025 shall continue to give adequate attention to the welfare of Abia civil servants and others employed in different capacities by the State Government and its institutions because of the enormity of their contributions to the success of the state’s holistic governance agenda.

Otti said that no segment of the Abia society shall be left behind in the robust social and economic development programme we have outlined for the New Year.

He announced that adequate arrangements have been made to capture older adults in the State’s health insurance programme, as the government shall support them with access to quality health services in all public health facilities at very minimal financial fees.

He said that in 2025, the government will support the artisans and hardworking men and women in Abia, as well as pay serious attention to the agricultural sector in pursuance of its resolve to achieve food sufficiency and create rewarding employment opportunities for Abia women and young people.

Otti said that the Abia State Disability Commission will also be supported to effectively cater to the social needs of people with physical challenges, as the government considers the men and women struggling with various forms of disabilities as heroes and heroines.