Governor Alex Otti of Abia State has reaffirmed his administration’s strong commitment to reforming the education sector, describing education as the foundation for sustainable development.
The governor made this statement on Wednesday when the East Regional Working Committee of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), led by its chairman, Nweke Odo, paid him a visit at his country home in Nvosi, located in Isiala Ngwa South Local Government Area.
According to the governor, education remains central to his administration’s development agenda, noting that the progress of any society largely depends on the strength of its educational system.
“We take education very seriously. If you ignore the very foundation of humanity, then every other thing you are doing is a waste of time,” Mr Otti said.
He added that many of the challenges facing society today could be traced to poor education or the absence of it, stressing that education expands people’s thinking and opportunities.
Mr Otti also revealed that the Abia State Government has consistently allocated one-fifth of its annual budget to education due to its importance in human development and societal growth.
“The simple reason is that none of us would be sitting here if we were not educated, including the teachers themselves. That is why in the last three years we have consistently devoted one fifth of our budget to education, and it will continue as long as I remain in office,” he said.
The governor assured the visiting delegation that the state government would consider their requests, including the provision of a bus and the completion of the Teachers’ House project in the state.
Earlier, Mr Odo praised Governor Otti for what he described as remarkable improvements in the education sector in Abia State.
He explained that the committee represents teachers from the nine states of the old Eastern Region: Abia, Anambra, Akwa Ibom, Enugu, Imo, Ebonyi, Cross River, Rivers, and Bayelsa.
According to him, the visit was meant to appreciate the governor’s efforts in improving education and teachers’ welfare in the state.
“We have heard much about Dr Alex Otti, the Governor of Abia, and we deemed it necessary to come and say thank you,” Mr Odo said.
He highlighted the governor’s allocation of 20 per cent of the state budget to education, the recruitment of 5,300 teachers, and the ongoing recruitment of an additional 4,000 teachers as significant achievements.
Mr Odo also commended the state government for paying teachers’ salaries regularly and settling 17 months of salary arrears owed by the previous administration.
In addition, he praised the government for constructing smart schools and approving a harmonised retirement age of 65 years or 40 years of service for teachers.
He urged other governors in the region to emulate Governor Otti’s commitment to education and assured him of the continued support of teachers across the eastern region.
