…Dsmisses Claims of Bias in Smart School Admissions
AbIa State Governor, Dr Alex Otti has directed the immediate repair of the flood-prone section of the Federal Ogbor Hill–Azumini Road near Ovom Mechanic Village in Aba to ease the hardship faced by motorists and residents during the rainy season.
The Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, announced the intervention on Wednesday while briefing Journalists on the outcome of this week’s State Executive Council meeting presided over by Governor Otti.
Prince Kanu said the affected portion of the road had become increasingly impassable whenever it rained because of persistent flooding which prompted the governor to order immediate remedial works pending a permanent solution.
“Relief has come the way of those who use the Ogbor Hill–Azumini Road. There’s a part of that road, that is close to Ovom Mechanic Village that has become intractable due to flooding that happens during the rainy season.
“I want to announce that His Excellency Dr Alex Otti has directed the Honourable Commissioner for Works and his team of engineers to provide immediate relief at the part of the road that leads to Ovom Mechanic Village that is susceptible to flooding during the rainy season”, the Commissioner said.
He explained that although the road belongs to the Federal Government, the Abia State Government had consistently intervened over the past two years to make it motorable because of its importance to residents and businesses.
Prince Kanu noted that Governor Otti’s administration had adopted a pragmatic approach to infrastructure development by intervening on roads irrespective of ownership whenever they directly affected the lives and livelihoods of Abia residents.
“In the past two years, the State Government has provided temporary maintenance works at the site. However, for the records, the road is a federal road.
“Although His Excellency, Dr Alex Otti, does not discriminate between federal and state roads, provided the roads are used by Abians,” he added.
The Commissioner however, stressed that the ongoing intervention was only a temporary measure to address the immediate challenges posed by the rainy season, noting that a lasting solution would require the approval and involvement of the Federal Government.
“For a permanent solution to happen there, necessary discussions and approvals must be obtained from the Federal Government. So, what has happened now is a temporary rainy season maintenance works so that that road will be passable to road users and residents in the area,” he said.
The commissioner also defended the state’s Smart School initiative, saying misconceptions surrounding the recently commissioned Ogbor Central Smart School necessitated further clarification.
He explained that the school is a flagship project under the Smart School Initiative supported by the Abia Government and serves as a public primary school transformed into a technology-enabled learning facility.
He said the school accommodates about 390 pupils and comprises classrooms, an Information and Communication Technology (ICT) laboratory, library, teachers’ resource centre and administrative offices.
“A special feature is the fact that all the pupils, from Primary One to Primary Six, have their individual tablets, which they will use all through their stay in the school. That is a very key and important aspect”, , the commissioner revealed.
According to him, the school operates with smart infrastructure, learning management systems and school management software and is being powered by an off-grid solar energy system with energy-efficient lighting and water management facilities.
He added that the facility also incorporates fire safety systems, disability-accessible infrastructure, a sick bay and a comprehensive security architecture to ensure the safety of pupils, teachers and the school facilities.
Contributing, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Basic Education, Mr Kenechukwu Nwosu while stressing that education in the Smart Schools are completely free of charge, explained that contrary to speculations, no facility had been removed from the Smart School located at School Road Primary School.
Nwosu stated that the project is undergoing redesign and is being expanded from it’s initial 300 capacity to accommodate 1,000 pupils
in response to increase in enrollment and growing demands from parents.
He added that Smart Boards and other learning facilities were only temporarily dismantled to allow construction work and would be reinstalled upon completion and confirmed that several other Smart Schools across the state are nearing completion and would be commissioned ahead of the new academic session in September.
Also, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Publicity, Mr Ferdinand Ekeoma, dismissed allegations that admission into the state’s Smart Schools favoured children of government officials and affluent families, describing the claims as false.
Ekeoma maintained that the present administration had consistently demonstrated its commitment to transparency and merit, pointing to the abolition of practices such as the “Governor’s List” and “Government House List” in admissions into tertiary institutions, as evidence of the government’s resolve to restore integrity to the education sector.
