Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
The Abia State Government says public school enrollment has increased by 100 percent within four months — from July to October 2025.
The State Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, disclosed this during a press briefing in Umuahia after the State Executive Council meeting. He attributed the increase to the free education policy introduced by the administration of Governor Alex Otti.
According to him, since the Otti-led government declared free and compulsory education from primary to Junior Secondary School 3, more pupils have returned to public schools.
“This is an indication that confidence and trust in our public school system are increasing daily as a result of the reforms being implemented in the education sector across the state,” Kanu said.
The Commissioner further revealed that, in addition to the surge in enrollment, the government had recruited 5,000 teachers, while another 4,000 are currently being recruited to meet the growing demands in public schools.
He listed other key interventions in the education sector to include the regular payment of teachers’ salaries, financial incentives for teachers in hard-to-reach areas, an increase in the retirement age of teachers from 60 to 65 years, and regular training and retraining of teachers.
Other reforms, he said, include the improvement of the learning environment and the adoption of new curricula across schools.
Kanu also noted that the government was addressing complaints arising from the recent promotion exercise and urged affected civil servants to be patient.
On infrastructure, the Commissioner announced that the Umueñe Court Building Complex in Isiala Ngwa South Local Government Area was ready for inauguration, describing it as the first of several state-of-the-art courthouses to be established across the 17 LGAs of the state.
“The new courthouses are state-of-the-art and equipped with best-in-class facilities that will enhance the justice delivery system in the state. They will become beacons of innovation and technological advancement in the administration of justice,” he said.
Kanu further disclosed that the Governor would launch the Contributory Pension Scheme for Abia workers in November 2025, as part of ongoing civil service reforms prioritizing workers’ welfare.
He noted that the present administration had cleared the backlog of pension arrears inherited from previous governments, while a special committee was already working on the payment of gratuities.
“With the launch of this contributory pension scheme, the ugly issue of owing pension payments and arrears will become a thing of the past,” Kanu assured.
“Under this administration, workers’ salaries and pension payments are made promptly — by the 28th of every month — which shows the government’s commitment to workers’ welfare.”
On security, the Commissioner urged residents to remain vigilant as the Christmas season approaches. He also warned motorists against violating traffic rules, particularly driving against traffic (one-way driving), which he described as a major menace on the roads.
He announced that the State Ministry of Transport, through the Harmonised Taskforce and in collaboration with the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), had launched a campaign codenamed “Road Safety is a Shared Responsibility – Drive to Arrive.”
“No matter how highly placed in society, anyone caught violating traffic regulations will face the full weight of the law,” Kanu warned.
“When even the Governor’s convoy obeys traffic rules, no motorist in the state has any reason not to comply.”
Present at the briefing were the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Barr. Ikechukwu Uwanna, SAN, and the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Publicity, Mr. Ferdinand Ekeoma.
