Abia shuts down 197 private schools
…over 8000 patients benefit from free medical outreach
From Boniface Okoro, Umuahia
As a fallout of the ongoing inspection of schools, Abia State Ministry of Education has shut down 197 private schools in the State for operating below mimimum standard, the state government has disclosed.
The governmemt also said that over 8,000 patients have so far benefited from its free medical outreach.
Commissioner for Information and Culture, Prince Okey Kanu, made these known while briefing journalists on the outcome of this week’s Executive Council meeting.
According to the Commissioner, the closure of the schools was in line with the determination of the government to reform the education sector in the state.
Prince Kanu said that about 900 schools have so far been inspected in the ongoing school inspection exercise.
“The inspection of schools is ongoing and as at the last count, about 900 schools have been inspected. A few of the schools are not so lucky, they failed the test of the required standards and they were shut down,” the Commissioner said.
He equally said that the government has directed the staff of ASUBEB to vacate from the its imposing office complex because of integrity issue of the building.
“Just last week, as a proactive government, staff of ASUBEB were evacuated from that building because the integrity of that building, the structure, was suspicious,” Kanu explained.
He added that government was doing everything possible to provide a permanent solution to the building’s integrity problem.
On provision of infrastructure, the Information boss said that apart from the six roads already reconstructed and inaugurated in Aba by Governor Alex Otti, additional three roads would soon be ready for commissioning while the Ministry of Works has been directed to effect repairs on Finbarrs road and the deplorable axis along Ahiaeke – Lodu Ndume-Umuafai road all in Umuahia.
Commissioner for Health, Dr Ngozi Okoronkwo, who was part of the joint Press Briefing, disclosed that over eight thousand Abians have so far accessed free medicare services under the ongoing free medical services beimg sponsored by the state government.
Dr. Okoronkwo said government, in a bid to enhance the capacity of the cottage hospital in Abayi, Aba, was retrofitting the facility and assured that it would soon be reopened for public use as work was seriously ongoing there.
Responding to questions on the recent appointment of Transition Committee Chairmen in the state, the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Prince Uzor Nwachukwu, said that those named in the list were trusted individuals capable of managing the various local governments in the State.
“What Dr. Alex Otti wants to do with the. local government administration is unprecedented in the history of this state. And for the first time, our people would witness massive development in every Local Government,” Uzor said.
He further announced that the list of the T. C councillors would soon be released, adding that their tenure would last in line with the law.
Also responding to a question, the Senior Special Adviser to the Governor on Monitoring and Evaluation, Hon. Ugochukwu Okoroafor, said that governmemt functionaries were not bothered by the sacrifices they were making to bring about the new Abia, but that they were focusing on delivering of democracy dividends to Abians.
