Abia @ 32: No more buz as usual as govt ends awards
. Oby Ezekwesili to deliver anniversary lecture
Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
Abia State Government has said it would no more follow the old order of conferring awards to individuals during the anniversary celebration to mark the creation of the state.
This, according to the State Government, is in compliance with the change mantra of Gov. Alex Otti, who has vowed to plug every financial leakage and use the state resources to work for the people.
Secretary to State Government, SSG, Professor Kenneth Kalu, who stated this during a press conference in Umuahia, said that the forthcoming 32nd anniversary of the state creation, would mark the beginning of a departure from the old order.
According to him, the usual jamboree that characterised the anniversary in the past would no longer be sustained because the new administration in the state was not ready to waste scarce resources.
He said that Gov. Otti had come on board to use the state resources to fix infrastructural deficit and re-launch Abia into an industrial hub.
The SSG who was flanked by the Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, during the press conference, said the emergence of Otti marked the beginning of a new dawn in Abia.
He, therefore, urged Abians to reciprocate the Governor’s efforts towards enthroning a new order by “re-committing to Abia for the good of all.”
“The way forward is for civil servants to be committed to duty and for Government to use the state resources to work for the people,” Professor Kalu declared.
The SSG who gave the theme of this year’s anniversary as: “Abia: Hitting the Re-set Button,” said the one-week celebration would begin from Wednesday, August 23 and end Tuesday August 29.
According to him, the anniversary will begin with a visit to orphanage homes and hospitals in the three senatorial zones across the state by the wife of the Governor to distribute aids to the inmates as well as those in hospitals.
He said there would be Jumat service on Friday at the Mosques and interdenominational church service on Sunday at Dominion Church, Okpara Square, Umuahia.
The SSG also hinted that there would be a novelty match on Friday between the Executive and the Legislative arm of the State Government .
Saturday and Monday would witness special anniversary sanitation exercise, and Executive Council meeting respectively, he added.
The SSG added that former Minister for Education and Good Governance Advocate, Mrs Oby Ezekwesili, would deliver the anniversary lecture on the 29th August at the International Conference Centre Umuahia.
He added that the lecture would be followed by the unveiling of the new Abia Orientation Agency.
Contributing, the Information Commissioner, Prince Kanu, said the new Abia had begun, stressing that Gov. Otti will no longer follow the old partner that impoverished the state.
On why Government decided to rule out awards to individuals, the Commissioner said it would be an irony for a Government that was preaching change to begin to confer awards to the same persons that held the state down.
Ikengaonline reports that Abia was created on August 27, 1991 by the former Head of State, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida (retd).
