…Says state free of cholera
Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
Abia State Government has approved fifteen thousand naira wage award for public servants in the state to help them cushion the effects of economic hardship arising from the removal of fuel subsidy.
This is even as the state has said it is free of cholera epidemic.
The payment of the wage award is to last for a period of months with effect from July, 2024.
Commissioner for Information and Culture, Prince Okey Kanu, disclosed this while briefing newsmen on the outcome of this week’s executive council meeting in Umuahia.
He said that the wage award is part of efforts of the state government to cushion the effects of the prevailing economic hardship in the country.
Prince Kanu while restating the commitment of the Dr Alex Otti’s administration to the welfare of Abia workers, said that government would soon commence payment of annual leave allowance to civil servants who actually observe their annual leave.
“Because of the Governor’s commitment to workers’ welfare, he accepted to pay Abia workers a wage award of 45 thousand naira in total but at 15 thousand per month over the course of three months.
“What we inherited was accumulated leave allowances but all that would be a thing of the past now given the governor’s commitment which he made even before the meeting with the organised labour.
“Once any Abia worker is due for leave, he or she would be paid his or her leave allowance. Prince Kanu stated.
On the outbreak of cholera, the Information Commissioner said that the state is cholera and diphtheria-free as all the 112 suspected cases of cholera recorded in 8 LGAS of the state have tested negative after taking them to the laboratory in Lagos.
He added that those in the health sector of the state government are working round the clock to ensure that any emergency is tackled head-on.
“I want to announce to us that Abia is Cholera and diphtheria-free. Between 30th of June and 7th of July, a total of 112 suspected cases of Cholera were reported, cutting across 8 LGAs.
“Following various tests carried out and the samples collected across these 8 LGAs, there were no reported cases of death, and not even a confirmed case of Cholera.
“There were some reported cases, about 12 reported cases of diphtheria across the state in particularly in just two LGAs of Osisioma and Umuahia South. Unfortunately, there were three deaths resulting from those suspected cases but the test did not confirm that there were further cases of diphtheria.”
Contributing, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Health, Dr Mrs Ngozi Azodoh, said that all suspected cases of cholera collected across 8 (eight) LGAS tested negative after laboratory tests, adding that they are working with relevant agencies to ensure that Abia maintains cholera-free status and stressed the need for all to imbibe the attitude of good hygiene.
“We, accordance with the protocols conducted a rapid diagnostic test, and out of those rapid diagnostic tests, only 3 came out RDT positive. We had to send those RDT positive cases to the national reference laboratory for confirmation and we are happy that all of them came back negative.
“So we are cholera free as s state. However, we will continue to maintain high levels of surveillance.
“We also had a diphtheria scare at Umueze community, very close to Abia state University Teaching hospital,Aba. We identified 12 people, we treated them and they are doing well. We also designated Abia State University Teaching Hospital as the treatment centre.” Azodoh maintained.
Furthermore, the Commissioner for Information and Culture, Prince Okey Kanu, announced that having almost completed the light up Abia project in the major cities of the state, the project will now move down to the 17 LGAS in the state.
According to him, such roads include streets like Asa road to Bata, Osisioma to MCC, Park road , Georges street and Constitution Crescent, all in Aba; Naval College Owerrinta, Bende road; among others.
On road infrastructure, Prince Kanu noted that various road projects across the state have continued unabated despite the rains, adding that the zero-pothole initiative of government has been extended from Abia Tower to the Onuimo axis pending the formal flag off of the expansion of the road by the state government.
Responding to questions on the recent reversal of Command Promotions by the state government, the Special Adviser to the governor on Media and Publicity, Mr. Ferdinand Ekeoma, said that the reversal was necessitated following the abuse of the process and stressed that further details on the policy would be given.
“It (the Command Promotion) was used to usurp the right of others. For instance ,we had a situation where someone who was on Grade level 12 was just taken far above his seniors on Grade Levels 13,14 and 15 and appointed a Permanent Secretary.
“So it was causing problems in the system and that is what is being corrected. We have started the process of correcting the mess,” Mr. Ekeoma stated.
