Abia State Governor, Dr Alex Otti, has directed the deployment of 66 graduates of the third cohort of the TechRise programme to government offices.
The deployment is aimed at leveraging the graduates’ digital skills to enhance government operations and improve public service delivery.
The Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, announced this on Monday while briefing journalists on the outcome of the State Executive Council meeting presided over by the Governor.
Prince Kanu said the graduates would be deployed through the Office of the Chief Information Officer to government agencies where their digital skills could support operations and service delivery.
He listed the State Citizens Contact Centre, Abia State Emergency Contact Centre and Ministry of Health among the offices expected to benefit from their expertise and services.
According to the commissioner, other agencies requiring their services would also receive some of the graduates.
On Education, Prince Kanu announced that Governor Otti, will on Saturday receive the state’s students who emerged world champions at an international schools debate competition in Qatar,
The commissioner described their achievement as a testament to the ongoing transformation of the state’s education sector.
He said that the state had recently recorded successes in the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and National Examinations Council (NECO) examinations, as well as the international debate competition.
On infrastructure, he announced that the Governor would on Wednesday, Oct. 21, flag off the rehabilitation of Old Express Road and Uratta Road in Aba.
He said Old Express Road measured about 3.955 kilometres, while Uratta Road covered approximately 3.09 kilometres.
Prince Kanu said the flag-off ceremony would take place at Old Express Road by Uratta, describing the intervention as a demonstration of the administration’s commitment to improving road connectivity in and around Aba metropolis.
On health, the commissioner said the Abia State College of Health Sciences and Management Technology had secured accreditation from the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) for two courses: Medical Laboratory and Dispensing Opticianry.
Prince Kanu attributed the development to the state government’s investments and ongoing transformation of the health sector.
He also announced that a 19-year-old accident victim who underwent brain surgery at the Abia State Hospital and Diagnostic Centre was recovering progressively after emerging from a coma.
He said the victim was undergoing post-surgical recovery protocols, adding that his recovery was partly attributable to the expert treatment and surgical procedures administered after the accident.
The commissioner further disclosed that Abia recorded no reported cases of Ebola, Lassa fever, COVID-19, diphtheria, cholera, mpox and yellow fever between Oct. 5 and Oct. 18.
He said the state’s health-sector reforms had also continued to attract recognition from Abians around the world.
Prince Kanu disclosed that the Ogbuka Umuegbehu Foundation had donated a 40-foot container filled with medical equipment and supplies from the United States to the state.
The Commissioner on behalf of the state government, expressed gratitude to the foundation for what he described as an uncommon act of philanthropy.
He also announced that preparations for the second edition of the Abia Tertiary Education Sports Fiesta had commenced with the lighting of the torch ahead of its relay across participating schools.
Prince Kanu said about 20 schools were expected to participate in the games, scheduled to hold from Nov. 3 to Nov. 16, 2026.
He expressed optimism that the second edition would surpass the gains and successes recorded during the maiden edition.
