Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, reiterated his administration’s unwavering commitment to revitalising the education and healthcare sectors, declaring them critical pillars of his government’s development agenda.
Speaking during a courtesy visit by the Board of Trustees of Lux Mundi University, Umuahia, led by its alternate chair, Prof. Ahmed Abubakar Audi, the governor highlighted the major strides his administration has made in just over two years in office.
The Board informed the governor about the university’s international collaboration with the Home Health Aid Training Institute in the United States, through which 50 students will embark on a foreign exchange programme next month. The board also extended a formal invitation to the governor to attend the institution’s second matriculation ceremony scheduled for July 18, 2025.
Clearly delighted, Governor Otti described the partnership as “uplifting” and aligned with his administration’s core focus. “Education and health have been on our front burner since we took office in 2023,” he said. “In the last 24 months, we have allocated 15% of our budget to health and 20% to education—in line with global best practices.”
The governor revealed that his administration had discovered alarming numbers of out-of-school children, many of whom were forced into street hawking due to poverty. “We saw young children hawking akara and groundnuts during school hours,” he said.
“After investigating, we found school fees to be the primary barrier. That’s why, from January 2025, we abolished school fees and made basic education free and compulsory in Abia State,” he announced, drawing applause from the delegation.
The move, Otti noted, led to a surge in public school enrolment, sparking fresh challenges around infrastructure and manpower. “We initially hired 5,364 new teachers, but it still wasn’t enough. We’re currently processing the employment of an additional 4,000 teachers to meet the demand,” he said.
To improve teacher retention and quality, he added that the government made teaching more attractive through better pay and enhanced benefits, surpassing regular civil service packages.
“No child should be denied education because their parents are poor,” Otti stressed.
On healthcare, the governor described the state of primary health facilities his administration inherited as “a disaster.” According to him, none of the state’s 948 Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) was functional as of 2023.
“We introduced a minimum standards template for PHCs and began a massive renovation programme,” he said. “So far, 138 centres have been fully remodeled and retrofitted, and work is ongoing to complete a total of 200 PHCs.”
He disclosed that each revitalised centre is equipped with renewable solar energy to ensure 24/7 service delivery. “We recently commissioned the one in Bende, and many more will follow shortly,” he added.
Prof. Audi, speaking on behalf of Lux Mundi University, expressed gratitude to Governor Otti for receiving the delegation, praising him for what he described as “unparalleled performance” in the governance of Abia State.
“Your leadership has given hope not just to Abia, but to Nigeria,” Audi said. “We are proud to align our efforts in education with a government that truly prioritises human capital development.”
Governor Alex Otti’s administration has drawn national and international attention for its reforms in education and healthcare. With over 9,000 teachers engaged, school fees abolished, and PHCs restored with solar-powered infrastructure, his policies reflect a practical, people-first governance style gaining praise across sectors.