2 weeks Ago By Uche Nwosu
Abia State government says it generated the sum of N39billion as Internal Generated Revenue (IGR) in 2024, surpassing its earlier target of N32billion for the same year. Briefing journalists in Umuahia on the outcome of the state executive council meeting, Kanu revealed that the government is vigorously working to hit a record high of N120billion in 2025, amounting to 207 percent. He declared, “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 207 percent increase over the IGR target of the previous year. “Consequently, the state government is embarking on a number of reform initiated to achieve this and to ensure that Abia State citizens are better served through more developmental programmes and initiatives”. On education, the Abia Information Commissioner stated that 17,000 people have so far applied to be recruited in the ongoing employment of 2,000 teachers at the basic and secondary school levels.
According to him, shortlisted candidates will be subjected to computer-based test (CBT) while those who pass the computer test will thereafter be subjected to oral interview before actual recruitment. He assured that the exercise would be transparent and merit-based and that it will provide equal opportunities for all applicants. His word, “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 would 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”. On health, Prince Kanu maintained that the Belgium-medical mission has ended in the state with the team conducting 114 successful major surgeries, adding that additional 915 patients with various medical cases were attended to. The commissioner further informed 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.
He stated that the Ministry of Health will issue a new set of standards for medical outreaches in the state. Kanu, who recalled that few days ago, the state celebrated Abia State Disabilities Day with a two-day activity done by the Disabilities Commission, 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 contract for the maintenance of roads in seven local government areas such as Isuikwuato, Isiala Ngwa North, Isiala Ngwa South, Obingwa, Ikwuano, Ukwa East and Ugwunagbo.
The roads, he explained, consist about 59-kilometers and that they are being executed under the Abia State Rural Access Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP). He named the sponsor as the World Bank, disclosing that the contractors will soon be mobilized to site. “This is a world bank-assisted project and the contractors will soon be mobilized to site.
This, no doubt, adds another dimension to the rural road infrastructural development agenda of this administration,” he declared. The information Commissioner further stated 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 and 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 with a view to addressing poverty, unemployment and social tensions. In her comment, the Commissioner for Poverty Alleviation and Social Protection, Mrs Blessing Felix said that the programme of fixing the rural roads underscores Governor Alex Otti’s commitment towards empowerment of local businesses in communities.
She declared, “We call it backlog rural road maintenance and 59 kilometres of rural roads are involved. This is part of Governor Alex Otti’s commitment towards 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 in order to support agricultural marketing and cost reduction post harvest”. At the briefing were the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Publicity, Mr Ferdinand Ekeoma, his education counterpart, Sir Kenechukwu Nwosu and the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr Njoku Ukoha Njoku. End.
