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Abia economic team begins review of state’s 30-year development plan

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New minimum wage meant to bridge gap between top, low grade civil servants - Gov Otti

Govt goes tough on traffic offenders, street trading

An economic team set up by the Abia State government has begun the process of reviewing the state’s 30-year development plan.

The review became necessary due to the economic headwinds prevalent in the country  as typified by rising inflation among others. The outcome of the exercise will  reflect the real position of the state’s economy.

The Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu disclosed this  Monday while briefing journalists in Government House Umuahia  on the outcome of this week’s State Executive Council meeting, first of the year, presided over by Governor Alex Otti.

State Goes Tough on Traffic Offenders

Similarly, in a bid to restore sanity in the transport system and avoid waste of human lives on the roads due to careless driving, the Abia State Government has given fresh mandate to its harmonized taskforce to ensure strict implementation  of  existing rules on traffic regulations and street trading  in the state.

Prince Kanu regretted that driving against traffic in Abia state has become a menace, stressing that the government is poised to ensure that there is full compliance with the extant traffic rules in Aba and Umuahia.

According to Kanu “It has become  a serious offence  to drive against traffic, no matter the distance.  A lot of people within the town drive against the traffic, especially, during the “rush hours” or  for some other reason or the other”.

The commissioner used  the forum to remind Abians and residents that the State’s Free  Tuition fee Education for Primary and Junior secondary Schools in the state has commenced.

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He said a taskforce will continue to be on the roads every day to arrest any child seen on the streets during school hours. “ Parents of such children would be identified, arrested and prosecuted”.

Monthly Stipends to Traditional Rulers

Kanu equally said that in order to give further impetus to the traditional institution in the state as a beacon of cultural heritage, the state government has commenced the payment of monthly stipends that  range between N250,000 to N350,000 to traditional rulers in the state.

He noted  that in addition to that members of the council of the traditional rulers at the state level will get additional 100,000  monthly  as sitting allowance, even as this would also be applied to the traditional rulers leadership at the LGA level, stressing that, “all these are being done to give a  pride of place to our traditional rulers who are partners in progress with the state government.”

Prince Kanu said that  the state government is set to regulate the right of way for laying of telecommunications cables around the state.

He informed that, “The final document for the Right of Way regulation for laying of telecom cables around the state has been produced and this will come into effect very soon.

“That is made to regulate how telecommunications cables are laid across the state,” Kanu explained.

Contributing during the briefing, the commissioner for Science, Technology and Innovation, Mr. David Kalu said that the regulation would provide rules of laying cables, adding that the State government is domesticating a Start- Up Act aimed at helping science and technology start- ups.

Kalu said the programme would involve training and processes that would enhance businesses of start-ups, especially in areas such as online content, branding etc.

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He disclosed that the first  Science and  Technology week will take place in Abia state between the 24th and 29th of March 2025.

Kalu explained  that the  plans have commenced in that regard , just as   Science and  Technology companies and high technology experts would participate during the week. He equally said that a special programme tagged STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics),   targeted at senior secondary school students  is aimed  at investing in the future of science students is ongoing in the state.

While answering a question, the Commissioner Transport, Dr. Chimezie Ukaegbu, said that a taskforce would soon be set up by his ministry to work with National Union of Road Transport workers to halt the  hike in transport fares as well as rolling out some Mass transport Buses to cushion the high fares charged by private transporters in Abia.