Governor Alex Otti has justified the Abia State Government’s decision to relocate the Faculties of Law and Agriculture of the Abia State University (ABSU) from Umuahia to the University’s main campus in Uturu.
Governor Otti gave the explanation at Government House Umuahia, on Friday, during the March Edition of the Monthly Media Parley tagged “Governor Otti Speaks to Abians”.
He emphasized that the decision was based on a comprehensive evaluation and the recommendations from the report of the government-appointed Visitation Panel which the government reviewed before issuing a White Paper.
“The relocation of the Agriculture and Law Facilities of Abia State University, Uturu is a decision that was taken after a process.
“The Government set up a Visitation Panel which took months and sent in a report which is based on verifiable data and government looked at it and accepted that part of the report and issued a white paper.
“Suffice it to say that we believe that Uturu has all the resources for Agriculture and Law. We want the University to function as a University and not a multi Campus University.
“That decision was a well studied and well intentioned decision”, he stated.
Governor acknowledged that the new buildings were not yet fully ready at the main Campus in Uturu which prompted a temporary extension of the relocation plan, pointing out that the relocation would commence by June when all the buildings, particularly hostels, will be ready to receive the Students.
“We found that the buildings were not well ready so we have allowed them to remain where they until June when we will be ready with all the buildings that would receive them particularly hostels”, he said.
Governor Otti who also addressed the issue of salary arrears at Abia State Polytechnic, revealed that his administration has cleared 18 months out of the 34 months of inherited arrears.
He assured that the remaining months would be settled in the coming months.
“I have directed that the Rector should start a process of verification to find the the people that were disengage and didn’t come to continue working in the Polytechnic to enable them receive the arrears of their salaries just like those that were disengaged and returned to continue working there.This is because we do not have all the records.
“The people that have been verified have been paid. We will still continue to pay the arrears that we inherited.
“Out of the 34 months arrears that we inherited from the Polytechnic, we have cleared 18 months. We have a few months left and in the next few months we would have completed the arrears.
“They are paid arrears on the 28th of every month together with their salary”, Governor Otti disclosed.
The Governor who used the opportunity to reel out his administration’s strides in the various sectors of the state economy, noted that work has commenced on the original plans for Aba and Umuahia, adding that results will be visible before the end of the year.
“We are working on the original plans that existed both in Aba and Umuahia.
“Work has started and I am sure that before the end of this year you will see the results.
“We are not where we want to be yet, but we are definitely not where we were”, he stated.
