Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
Abia State has been selected as one of the five pilot states to benefit from the Nigeria Solar for Health Programme, an European Union, EU-sponsored initiative targeted at providing solar powered lights to health institutions in the state.
This is as the State Government has approved funds for monthly running cost for Heads of primary and secondary schools in the state to stop them from imposition of illegal fees on pupils and students.
The Commissioner for information Prince Okey Kanu, disclosed these while briefing the press on the outcome of this week’s Executive Council meeting presided over by Governor Alex Otti.
According to him, Abia State will provide 30% counterpart fund for the Solar for Health project while EU will provide the remaining 70%.
The Information Commissioner noted that the provision of the solar powered light will not only benefit the health institutions but all those that live and do business around such health institutions.
He said so far the state government has installed 4500 solar powered lights across 74 locations in the state and still counting, adding that the Light up Abia Initiative is already bearing positive results for the state.
He said: “The Light up Abia Initiative of the State government is already bearing positive fruits for the state.
“Abia state through its achievements in this regard has been selected as one of the five states to benefit from the Nigeria Solar for Health Project, an European Union’s sponsored project.
“The project is targeted at providing solar power for our state own health institutions. The state government will provide counterpart funding to the tune of 30 percent while the European Union will provide 70 percent.”
Continuing, he said that as part of ongoing reforms in the education sector, the state government has granted the Ministry of Education approval to provide funds/running cost for the office of Heads of Schools in the state to address issues of illegal fee collections and to alleviate pressure on school heads.
“Hitherto, we used to hear stories of illegal collection of fees and so on, occasioned may be by pressure on the heads of such institutions. So the state government has gone ahead to ensure that this becomes history by providing some funds for heads of primary and secondary institutions in the state,” Kanu stated.
Prince kanu noted that the state government has successfully completed 124 road projects in line with its zero-pothole initiative, adding that it is part of the state government’s commitment to improving road infrastructure with principal focus on Aba and Umuahia.
He announced that Ndoki road which is under construction will soon be commissioned adding that the contractor is working assiduously to deliver the job ahead of schedule.
The Commissioner highlighted that other road projects across the state are ongoing, adding that in Umuahia the Uchenna bus stop to Afara Technical School road and Agbama transformer-F-line road maintenance work have been completed while Bata junction roundabout Aba, with newly installed water fountain is almost completed.
On the transport sector, the information Commissioner said the state is also ramping up its efforts to ensure safety and security of citizens by registering all commercial vehicles, tricycles and motorcycles operating in the state and urged those affected to comply with the ongoing registration process before the commencement of enforcement.
Contributing, the Chairman of the Abia State Unified Task Force and Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs explained that it is a policy of the State government aimed at identifying who owns or operates any commercial vehicle in Abia.
He added that it would go a long way to helping security agents in their job and said it is free of charge.
“What we are doing is that we are trying to enumerate and register all commercial vehicles in the State at no cost to both the operators and owners of the vehicles.”
