The Abia State Government has constituted a Taskforce to enforce compliance to the free and compulsory education initiative, aimed at eradicating the out-of-school children in the State.
The Commissioner for information, Prince Okey Kanu who disclosed this while briefing Newsmen on the outcome of the maiden 2025 EXCO meeting, said that the Government has officially launched the “Out-of-School Policy with the reopening of schools on Monday, 13th January 2025.
“The out of School policy of the state government has commenced officially with the reopening of schools today (Monday). A special taskforce to enforce compliance has been put in place by the State government.
“This policy is very dear to the heart of His Excellency and his intention is to achieve a zero tolerance with out of school children in the State.
“So in the days ahead, this special taskforce will ensure the compliance of this policy that is directed to ensure that the indigenes of the state who are indigent for some reasons or the other are not left behind in regards to education which of course we know is the best way to empower people,” the Commissioner noted
Prince Kanu made public that the State Government (ABSG) has concluded plans to rejig the enforcement of the existing traffic rules in the state to restore sanity in the transport sector.
He noted with concern the prevalence of driving against the traffic in Abia state which has become a menace.
“Going forward , it will be a serious offence to drive against traffic no matter the distance. You see a lot of people within the town drive against the traffic for one reason or the other.
“It is now a very serious offence and the harmonized taskforce has been rejigged to ensure full compliance to that policy,” Kanu stated.
The Commissioner further revealed that Government will soon rebase and update the 30 -year development plan of the state government given the economic headwinds prevalent in the country and as typified by the headline
inflation being experienced in the country today .
He also announced that the Government is set to regulate the right of way for laying of telecommunications cables around the state.
Contributing, the Commissioner for Science, Technology and Innovation, Mr. David Kalu said that the regulation would provide rules of laying cables and added that the Abia State government is domesticating a Start- Up Act aimed at helping science and technology start ups.
The newly appointed Head of Service of Abia state , Mr Benson Ojeikere was sworn in by Governor Alex Otti during the Exco meeting.
The new Head of service, Mr. Ojeikere who emerged as the best Corps member in Abia state in the 1999/2000 batch of the NYSC service year was retained by the then state government and has risen through the ranks to be a Director, a Permanent Secretary before emerging as the Head of Service.
