Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
Gov. Alex Otti of Abia State, has placed a high premium on academic excellence as he announced the gift of N1 million business grant to each of the N150 graduands of the Ogbonnaya Onu Polytechnic Aba (formerly Abia Polytechnic), to empower them for self reliance.
Otti who made the announcement during the 19 – 21st convocation ceremony of the Polytechnic, said that the prospective beneficiaries would write business proposals to that effect and same to Government via email address, oggh@abiastate.gov.ng on or before 31st December 2024.
He vowed to transform educational institutions in the state with a view to making their products employers of labour upon graduation.
Otti said 20 per cent of the 2025 budget would be allocated to education as was done in 2024, noting that his commitment to education has led to great support given to the public education institutions in the State
“Our general outlay for the education sector has lead to the retrofitting of the primary and secondary schools across the State”
“It has also lead to capacity development, training and retraining programmes for more than 2,000 primary and secondary school teachers”
“Our commitment to education has brought about extensive financial support for all the state-owned institutions, regular and prompt payment of salaries and allowances to the teaching and non-teaching staff and offsetting of the outstanding salary arrears owed staff working in our institutions. There are other measures designed to long term injuries suffered by thousands of people working in the State’s education sector.”
Otti said the neglect of education and politicisation of academics, were part of the disorder he met, but added that the narrative had changed.
The governor expressed his commitment to rebuilding public institutions in the state.
He said that earlier this year, he cleared a four-year accumulated counterpart funds to Universal Basic Education (UBEC), stating that UBEC has written to affirm that it would release funds to support education sector in the state.
“I am happy to announce that earlier this year, we paid about four years accumulated counterpart funding of N5 billion to the Universal Basic Education and UBEC had written to assure us that very shortly, the total funds which in my estimation will be over N10 billion will be released to us.”
Governor Otti announced that he would give one million Naira business grant to each of the 150 best graduating students participating in the convocation, 50 persons from each of the 3 sets of graduands at the convocation.
He said that the prospective beneficiaries would write business proposals to that effect and submit same to Government via email address, oggh@abiastate.gov.ng on or before 31st December 2024.
He further assured that the internal campus road network of the polytechnic would be reconstructed to improve the aesthetics of the environment, stating that he has already started paying the arrears of salaries of staff of the institution owed them by the past administration.
He disclosed that he has instructed the Secretary to the State Government and the Accountant General of the state to ensure that the arrears of salaries of the affected staff including those who are no longer in the payroll but were being owed by the past administration are paid.
The State Chief Executive explained that his decision to immortalise Dr Ogbonnaya Onu by renaming the institution was to inspire future generation of students to pursue excellence, stating that Dr. Onu did not just established the polytechnic but was an epitome of excellence and dignity.
Governor Otti who congratulated the graduands, thanked the management and Governing Council of the polytechnic for restoring life to the institution.
Earlier in his speech, the Chairman, Governing Council of the polytechnic, Mr Stanley Egege, assured that the council would continue to make efforts towards growing the technological/entrepreneurial institution with the intention of producing tested skilled graduates.
In his address, the Rector of the Polytechnic, Dr. Christopher Okoro, highlighted various achievements of the institution within few months of his appointment, stating that he has equally re-engineered the School, adding that the polytechnic has introduced new programmes, including Artificial Intelligence, among others and noted that 16 new programmes would soon be accredited.
A total number of 6,621 graduands comprising 3,138 National Diplomas, and 3,483 Higher National Diplomas participated.
Governor Alex Otti had earlier performed the foundation laying ceremony of the perimeter fencing of the Osisioma Campus, commissioned the renovated Rector’s Lodge, the school’s newly reconstructed main entrance gate, newly renovated administrative building among others.
