Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, has banned all forms of payments in primary and secondary schools in the state, marking the enforcement of compulsory school attendance for children of school age.
The governor introduced an imprest account system for school principals and headteachers to manage the running of schools, with specific monthly allowances for their operations.
Otti made this announcement in his New Year speech on Wednesday, stating, “We have stopped all forms of payments in primary and secondary schools. Not even PTA levies should be charged to any parent or guardian in any public school in the state.
“We have introduced an imprest account system for the running of schools. Headteachers and school principals are now entitled to specific sums every month for managing the day-to-day operations of their schools.
“There is, therefore, no excuse to extort or deny any child the opportunities that come with learning and enlightenment. We shall be strict with enforcement and it will be a grievous mistake to test our will.”
The governor also emphasised the state’s commitment to enforcing compulsory attendance for children of school age in schools across Abia.
He added that his administration was set to allocate 35 per cent of the entire budget to interventions in the education and health sectors.
Otti said, “We shall fast-track efforts to remake our schools into centres of excellence in effective teaching and learning.
“As you may know, the law mandating all children of school age to be in school every school day comes into effect today. As soon as the new school term begins later in the month, it will be unlawful to find any child outside the walls of the classroom during school hours.”
The governor also shared his administration’s urgency to build systems, rebuild the state, and realign governance priorities to reflect the true aspirations of the people.
“We have since evolved a system that prioritises the needs of the downtrodden by paying attention, listening carefully and channelling public resources to where they yield the highest social and economic dividends to the majority by taking on very difficult but economically and socially significant projects in road infrastructure development, health and education, waste management and environmental recoveries,” he said.
Governor Otti reiterated the state’s focus on security, warning that his government would not hesitate to deploy its full might against any individual or group posing a threat to the safety of residents.
“We shall also continue to prioritise the security of lives and property, adopting necessary measures to keep criminals and their sponsors out of the state. Again, I would like to restate that we shall not hesitate to deploy the full might of the government against any individual or group whose activities pose a threat to the safety of our people,” he emphasised.
In line with the New Year plans, Otti announced a provision of N18.9bn to support economically vulnerable individuals and families.
“As an administration that understands the tough economic realities of the times, we have mapped out the sum of N18.9bn to support economically vulnerable individuals and families in the New Year.
“The provision of this huge sum to drive our social protection agenda speaks to the determination of the state government to use the levers of public office to redistribute wealth and ensure that the fruits of social prosperity get to everyone, especially those on the lowest rungs of the income ladder.
“We shall continue to give adequate attention to the welfare of our civil servants and others employed in different capacities by the state government and its institutions because of the enormity of their contributions to the success of our holistic governance agenda.
“We shall remain faithful in meeting our obligation to the retirees, in appreciation of their excellent contributions to the development of the state with the energy of their youth,” he added.
Otti further promised to consolidate efforts to make the state more investor-friendly, with a focus on the agricultural sector. He highlighted the importance of artisans and blue-collar workers to the development of the state, emphasising their critical role in the collective progress of Abia.
“The young people of this state are its future. No segment of society shall be left behind in the robust social and economic development programme we have outlined for the New Year.
“The state Disability Commission will also be supported to effectively cater to the social needs of our brothers and sisters with physical challenges.
“We are encouraged to make regular and prompt payment of taxes and other statutory fees part of our New Year resolution,” he further stated.
