Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
Abia State Government, has said that some Chinese investors have indicated interest in investing in the proposed Nsulu Games Village.
Commissioner for Sports, Mr Nwaobilo Ananaba, who disclosed this during a press briefing after the State Executive Council meeting, said that the State Government was determined to revive sports in the state.
He said that Sports had enormous potentials in the state considering huge sports stars in various parts of the state.
The Commissioner said that the State Government had embarked on sensitisation of schools to identify young Abians with various talents in sports and assist in developing them.
He said that the state had re-introduced Sports Day, adding that Inter House Sports will also be encouraged by the State Government across schools in the state.
The Commissioner further said that provisions had been made for massive renovation of Enyimba International Stadium Aba, and the Umuahia Township Stadium to make them befitting.
Speaking earlier, Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, re-stated Government’s resolve to clear the backlog of pension arrears in the state as soon as the on-going verification exercise was concluded.
According to him, all outstanding pension arrears in the state will be cleared before the end of December 2023.
He said that pensioners were satisfied with the approach of Government in the on-going verification exercise as it was arranged in a way it would be convenient for all retirees including the sick ones and those abroad.
According to him, while the pensioners are to report at the sub-treasury nearest to them, the sick ones are captured in their homes, and verification code sent to those abroad for online verification.
“Once we’re done with the verification, Government will pay off all outstanding pensions. It was a promise made during the campaigns, and the Governor, Dr Alex Otti, has vowed to keep it. The era of promise and fail is over!”
He explained that the 6.8 kilometer Port Harcourt Road Aba awarded to Julius Berger at the tune of N30 billion would be completed in 18 months.
According to him, the firm has been heavily mobilised to site, adding that more newly rehabilitated roads are ready for inauguration in Aba.
He also said that more new roads would be awarded for renovation within the week.
Kanu identified the affected roads to include: Kent Road, Ehi Road, People’s Road, Omuma Road and Cemetery Road phase 2.
The Commissioner said that the zero pothole’ operation was still on-going
on many roads in Umuahia the state capital is also on top gear.
Contributing, Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Prince Uzor Nwachukwu, disowned a purported list of Local Government Transition Committee members circulating in the social media.
He dismissed the said list as fake and urged members of the public to disregard such list.
According to him, the Governor whose prerogative it is to make such appointments is yet to release any list.
He, however, admitted that the Governor had been consulting with the stakeholders in various LGAS for their inputs in the membership of the TC committee.
According to him, nomination of TC councilors were made by the various stakeholders pending the approval of the Governor who does not want to impose anybody on the councils.
He assured that Council election would be conducted after the on-going clean up in the Council administration following the rot left behind by the previous administration.
“We met a lot of rot in the system and we are cleaning them up. The Governor is constitutionally empowered to appoint TC members to run the affairs of the councils until election is held.”
The Commissioner further explained that unlike before, the State Government “does not tamper” with Council funds and federal allocations.
He explained that under the current administration in the state, council funds are being warehoused for them, adding that the Governor had also promised to source money to support any Council that is frugal and active.
“For the first time in the history of this state, council funds are sent to them for development,” he said.
The General Manager, Abia State Environmental Protection Agency, ASEPA, Mr Ogbonnia Okereke, disclosed that additional 23 buckets had been acquired by the State Government for waste evacuation in Aba and Umuahia.
He restated the readiness of the agency to improve the environmental sanitation of the state, while urging residents to comply with the official time of disposing their household wastes which is from 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm everyday.
He also appealed to residents to properly package their wastes before disposing them into the refuse bins for easy evacuation.
The ASEPA boss further said that the six successful private firms in the tender for waste management would soon be engaged, adding that some staff of ASEPA could be engaged by the firms when they come on board.
Okereke urged residents to pay their ASEPA bills to enable the agency function more effectively.
