Gov Otti approves upward review of Abia traditional rulers’ salaries

The Abia Government has approved the monthly payment of stipends ranging from N250,000 to N350,000 to traditional rulers in the state.

The Commissioner for Information in Abia, Okey Kanu, made this known on Monday during a press briefing on the outcome of the State Executive Council meeting in Umuahia.

Mr Kanu also said the members of the Traditional Rulers Council at the state and local government leadership level would receive an additional N100,000 monthly.

Mr Kanu reiterated the state government’s commitment to giving pride of place to Abia traditional rulers and promoting the state’s cultural heritage.

The commissioner expressed the state resolve to rebase its 30-year development plan to reflect the current economic realities.

Mr Kanu said that the State Economic Team that would be charged with the assignment would be inaugurated very soon.

“Rebasing is, of course, the process of updating an old base year with recent ones to reflect changes in prices of goods and services that are within the economy.

“We know that the economic situation being experienced in the country today makes it imperative that this exercise be carried out or reflect the condition of the economy,” he said.

He said the government had rejigged the State Harmonised Taskforce to ensure full compliance with its policies on street trading and driving against traffic.

Mr Kanu said that in the past the state government had raised concerns about street trading and driving against traffic and its resultant negative effects.

He said, “These twin issues have become a menace and we are committed to ensure enforcement of the rules.

“The roads constructed across the street need to be preserved, and when traders use the roads for trading, they begin to wear off.

“Also, driving against traffic, known as one-way driving, will not be tolerated no matter how short the distance because it has led to road crashes on different occasions.”

He said that the government had taken serious steps to ensure that the rules would be enforced to stop these practices in the state.

Getting Abia children back to school

On Education, the commissioner said the government had commenced the implementation of its Out-of-School Policy with the reopening of schools in the state after the Christmas holiday.

Mr Kanu also said that a special taskforce had been established to ensure compliance with the initiative, aimed at eradicating the phenomenon of out-of-school children in Abia.

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He said, “The out-of-School policy of the state government has commenced officially with the reopening of schools today.

“A special taskforce to enforce compliance has been put in place by the State government.

“This policy is very dear to the heart of the governor and his intention is to achieve a zero tolerance with out-of-School children in the state.

“So in the days ahead, this special taskforce will ensure the compliance to ensure that the indigenes, who are indigent for some reason or the other, are not left behind.”

(NAN)