In his usual manner of visiting project sites unannounced to see things for himself despite being given regular updates of ongoing projects by MDAs, Abia State Governor, His Excellency, Dr. Alex Otti, OFR, on Friday, October 10th, inspected the ongoing construction of new school buildings at Aro Ngwa Community School, Osisioma LGA.
Recall that a few weeks ago, Press and media men toured 63 locations of public schools where the State Government is presently renovating and retrofitting public schools and building new school buildings across the State, under the school redevelopment policy of Governor Otti’s administration.
Governor Otti, who was returning from a State function, pulled over at one of the schools to assess the level of work being done.
On arrival at the school, the Governor headed straight to the part of the school where the students are currently using to learn. There, he met students and teachers who were so elated and excited to receive him as they started singing solidarity song to appreciate a Governor who has made Basic and Secondary Education free in the State, retrained the teachers his administration inherited to bring to them up to speed with 21st century teaching practice, paid arrears of salaries they were owed by the previous administrations, employed 5,394 new teachers and made teachers welfare a top priority.
To be sure that the students were not asked to pay school fees and levies again, he asked the students if they were being asked to pay school fees or any levy, and they overwhelmingly chorused no.
The Governor equally enquired about the number of teachers the school has and assured that more teachers would be posted as the State is in the process of hiring an additional 4000 teachers, bringing the number of teachers to be hired by his administration to 9,394.
After meeting with the students, Governor Otti went to the sites of the construction of the two new school buildings, where he met the workers on site who warmly received him. Governor Otti expressed satisfaction at the quality and level of work being done.
He encouraged them to double their efforts to deliver the projects before the agreed delivery dates, assuring them of gifts if they do so.
Ctz. UKOHA, NJOKU UKOHA Chief Press Secretary to the Executive Governor of Abia State.