Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti has reiterated that education and healthcare remain top priorities of his administration.
He made this known while hosting the Board of Trustees of Lux Mundi University, Umuahia, led by the alternate chair, Prof. Ahmed Abubakar Audi, mni, OFR, who also serves as the Commandant General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
The Lux Mundi delegation visited the Governor to inform him of a new partnership with the U.S.-based Home Health Aid Training Institute, which will see 50 of the University’s Nursing Science students travel to the United States next month for an international exchange programme.
They also extended a formal invitation to Governor Otti to attend the institution’s second matriculation ceremony scheduled for July 18.
Governor Otti, visibly delighted by the development, stated: “For us in the state, the major things you’ve put on the table,education and health have been part of our core agenda since we assumed office in 2023.
In the last 24 months, we’ve allocated 20% of our budget to education and 15% to health.”
Highlighting the transformative policies implemented by his administration, Governor Otti revealed that school fees at the basic education level were abolished at the beginning of 2024, making education free and compulsory.
“We discovered that children of school age were hawking because their families couldn’t afford school fees. We decided to tackle the problem at its root,” he said.
The free education policy led to a surge in school enrollment, which created new challenges including inadequate manpower and dilapidated school infrastructure.
In response, the state employed 5,364 new teachers and is currently processing the employment of an additional 4,000.
“We’ve also made the teaching profession more attractive by improving salaries and total compensation beyond the civil service standard,” Governor Otti added, noting that financial background should never be a barrier to education.
In the health sector, the Governor lamented the state of decay his administration inherited, with none of the 948 Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) functional.
“We developed a minimum standard template for PHCs. Out of 200 selected for full renovation, 138 have been completely retrofitted with solar power, while work is ongoing on the remaining 62,” he said.
He also approved the recruitment of 771 healthcare professionals to address staff shortages and stressed the importance of creating deliberate policies that encourage medical personnel to stay and serve within the state.
Governor Otti commended the leadership of Lux Mundi University for introducing the Faculty of Nursing and Health Services and pledged continued support from the state government.
He also thanked Dr. Maria Santiago, CEO of the America Home Health Aid Training Institute, who visited Nigeria to profile the 50 exchange students.
“You will not regret this partnership,” the Governor assured Dr. Santiago, expressing appreciation for her support in building global opportunities for Abia students.
In her remarks, Dr. Santiago expressed gratitude to the Governor for his visionary leadership and committed to supporting Lux Mundi University’s growth.
The University’s founder and Pro-Chancellor, Prof. Gabriel Okenwa, Esq., OFR, also praised Governor Otti’s administration, recalling that he had previously written a book on transformative leadership in which Governor Otti was featured as a case study.
“What is happening in Abia today is a clear fulfillment of the leadership model I wrote about,” he remarked.
Earlier, Prof. Ahmed Abubakar Audi introduced members of the delegation and thanked the Governor for the warm reception and his deep
commitment to educational advancement.
The meeting was attended by senior members of the Abia State Government and partners from the United States.
