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Otti to champion scholarship award to brilliant students in S’East universities
From Peter Okore, Umuahia
Abia State governor, Dr, Alex Otti has used the occasion of his Lecture delivered at the 63rd Founders Day Lecture series of the University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN) held at the Princess Alexandra Auditorium and Unity Hall, to state his desire to champion a discussion with his colleagues in the South East geo-political zone of the country for expansion of scholarships to thousands of brilliant students in the region.
In his Lecture titled : “Petroleum Subsidy Removal; Dealing with the Challenges, harnessing the opportunities” Otti declared that such would not only be a way of cushioning effects of the subsidy removal by the federal government, but also be seen as a way of encouraging learning.
According to him, “Nothing must stand in the way of the education of our young people because we shall be doomed if we compromise any further on our investments in quality education. I don’t just mean funding the desperation to acquire certificates but something more holistic as what this university has been doing for 63 years. Education is something we must take even more serious”
Dr. Otti also used the forum to announce plans to revive the Abia state Scholarship Board and grant scholarships and bursary awards to Abia students studying in various higher institutions across the country.
The governor said that his administration is currently working on measures towards improving the welfare of Abia workers to reflect the prevailing economic realities occasioned by the removal of fuel subsidy.
The measures include a template to commence payment of transport allowance to civil servants and to raise the current salaries of civil servants by a certain percentage from this month as to cushion the harsh impact of the rising inflationary trend as well as ensure the survival of civil servants in the present economic hardship.
He said the gesture will go a long way to alleviating their economic challenges following the removal of fuel subsidy.
The governor also announced that plans are on the way to raise the current salaries of civil servants by a certain percentage as to cushion the harsh impact of the rising inflationary trend as well as ensure their survival in the present economic hardship.
Governor Otti noted that his administration had earlier granted tax holiday to micro, small and medium enterprises to enable them manage the shock the that emanated from the subsidy removal.
He said that government has continued to streamline the revenue collection process to enable efficiency, cut out double taxation and make the system independent in ways that limit activities of middle men.
Governor Otti re-iterated that his extensive commitment in road rehablitation and reconstruction is aimed at increasing investments in the state which will ultimately lead to higher employment opportunities for the younger generation and expansion of business opportunities for MSMES.
“The ultimate agenda is to systematically improve the investment climate in Abia so that the environment does not sabotage the efforts of our entrepreneurs who pass through severe difficulties to remain in business,” he said.
The state Governor further said that the planned launch of N10 billion MSME Fund as announced in his inaugural speech is still on course while modalities to accessing the fund will soon be unfolded.
“The target shall be existing and intending entrepreneurs with innovative and bankable ideas, the present government in Abia is businees-friendly and the grand plan is to make Abia the leading MSME hub in all of Africa,” he noted.
