The Abia State Government says it has declared a state of emergency in six critical sectors of the state.
Briefing newsmen on Monday evening after the state Executive Council meeting presided over by the state governor, Alex Otti, the Commissioner for Information and Culture, Okey Kanu, highlighted the sectors as security, education, infrastructure, investment, climate change, and pensions payment.
Kanu said the state government has concluded plans to launch “Operation Crush” to deal with insecurity in the state.
The Commissioner also disclosed that the state governor has approved the “Lighting Up Abia Initiative” which involves lighting up the major streets of Umuahia, Aba, and other cities of the state.
He said that it also involves cutting the bushes within the expressway median lane from Okigwe gate into the state, while street lights will be installed to light up the axis.
The executives, he said, have also put in place, the “Reclaim Our Schools Initiative” to “underscore the premium the state government has on education,” by harvesting support from highly placed individuals, stakeholders and international agencies to finance education from the primary to tertiary levels in the state.”
The Commissioner also disclosed that the state has concluded plans to hold a summit on climate change, the first in the state, which previous administrations in the state did not do.
On the traditional institution in the state. Kanu disclosed that, following the increase in the traditional rulers’ allowances from 3% to 5% in the state by Otti’s administration, the royal fathers will start receiving their allowances from next week, while he also affirmed the state government’s commitment to the payment of outstanding pension arrears.
Explaining further, the Commissioner for Education, Prof. Uche Eme said “The level of dilapidation of schools in the state is unimaginable,” pointing out that the state government concluded plans to plant in each local government, new primary and secondary schools.
He stated that host communities of such schools would be incorporated for the security of the schools under Community – based initiative where the communities would own the school.
She said the state government wants to collaborate with private schools to achieve better education and ensure that public schools are redeemed and returned to their former glory, and to galvanise the communities to be alive to their corporate social responsibility.
Also speaking, the Secretary to the State Government, Caleb Ajagba, said that every school in the state will be standardised by the state governor, while the Commissioner for Environment and Urban Renewal, Philemon Ogbonna regretted that past governments were not interested in domesticating climate change in the state, adding, “but Otti wants to get all involved.”