Headlines
Abia targets N120bn IGR in 2025; receives 17,000 applications for 2,500 teaching vacancies

Abia State government says it plans to generate N120 billion as internally generated revenue(IGR) this 2025 fiscal year.
This is about 207 percent above the N17bn IGR recorded by the past administration as at the time it left office in 2023.
The State commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu disclosed this on Monday, while briefing journalists in the Government House, Umuahia, on the outcome of this week’s EXCO meeting chaired by the governor, Dr. Alex Otti.
According to Kanu, the progression shows that the state generated the sum of N17 billion as IGR in 2023 from date it took over power.
The revenue increased to N39billion in 2024; while that of this year is targeted at N120billion.
He hinted that the government has not started receiving revenue from Sanitation fees yet, saying “we want to make sure that the state is clean before charging Sanitation fees”.
Kanu said the state Environmental sanitation Protection Agency(ASEPA) would soon commence House-to-House refuse collection in the state.
“We are not where we should be yet in revenue collection in Abia”, he declared.
Kanu further announced that following the state government’s advertisement for the recruitment of 2,500 Primary and secondary School teachers to fill the vacant positions in the state’s school system, about 17,000 applications had been received from prospective candidates online and processed by the State Ministry of Education.
He explained that the 17,000 applicants will be subjected to computer-based tests; later followed by oral interviews and employments.
The commissioner further disclosed that the “Free and Compulsory Primary and Junior Secondary school education” policy of the state government, which came into effect in January 1, has resulted to an astronomical rise in the enrollment pupils and students in State schools.
He said the state will construct 20 Smart Schools to encourage computer education in Abia.
In answer to a question, he explained that the motive behind the new government policy on education is to make sure that no child in Abia is denied basic education in the contemporary Nigeria.
The commissioner also said that the Belgium medical outreach to Abia state has completed its assignment at the Abia State University Teaching Hospital (ABSUTH) Aba, which served as its centre.
According to him, the team handled 114 major surgical operations and attended to a total of 915 patients.
Kanu pointed out that the team left a number of recommendations for the University based on the Government White Paper on the visitation panel to the University as well as some important machines.
On the fate of rural roads in the state, Commissioner kanu disclosed that a total of 59 rural roads have been identified for rehabilitation/ reconstruction under the state Rural Access Agricultural marketing Project (RAAMP).
The essence is to improve access roads to food producing rural areas in support ofagriculture and save post-harvest products.