ABIA State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, OFR, has approved the setting up of a full Visitation Panel for the Abia State University, Uturu, with Prof. Steve Okorodudu, as Chairman. 

A statement signed by the Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to Gov Otti, Kazie Uko, and made available to SummitNews, named members of the panel as follows: Prof. Rose Nwabueze, Prof. Mrs. Abiola Awosika-Fapetu, Dr. Sonny Ajala, SAN, Prof. Ngozi Osarenren, Prof. Nnenna Oyidie Okeh.

Others are Mr. Emmanuel Okpechi, FCA, and Dr. Confidence Ogbonna.

Mr. Dodoh Okafor, will serve as the panel’s Secretary.

The statement further stated that the panel will be formally inaugurated by Gov Otti on Tuesday, February 13, 2024, at the Banquet Hall, Government House, Umuahia, by 12noon prompt.

Governor Otti with the new Eze Aro, HRM Eberechukwu Oji, and his wife, Nneoma. Standing left is Eze Ibom Isii, and on the right, Eze Eze Agwu na Okwara Agwu.

Abia State Governor, Dr, Alex Otti, OFR, has congratulated His Royal Majesty, Engr. Eberechukwu Eni Kanu Oji, on his emergence as the Eze Aro the 9th, of Arochukwu Kingdom, and charged him to be firm and courageous in the discharge of his duties. He urged him to unite the people in his domain during his reign.

Governor Otti, stated this when he received the Eze Aro, Aro indigenes, and members of Nzuko Aro Wordwide, who visited him, on Thursday. He stressed the need for peaceful co-existence among the people of Arochukwu Kingdom, whom he described as very resilient, wise and industrious.

He said his government would continue to do the right thing, no matter whose ox is gored, adding that it was for that reason that government insisted that due process must be followed in selecting the Eze Aro.

“Our own government is courageous. We like to do the right thing inspite of whose ox is gored. We insist on doing the right thing and we can courageously work through it to ensure the right thing is done. So, anywhere people are doing the wrong thing, we will not accept it.”

Governor Otti enjoined the new Eze Aro to be firm, courageous and to do the right thing at all times and pledged that the government will support him.

“I will encourage you to be firm, courageous, to do the right thing and you can count on government to support you, once you are doing the right thing,” the Governor declared.

“You have age on your side, you have education, you have contact and you have been successful with other things you have been doing.You have a second address. That’s what we require these days.

“So with all the network, all the contacts that you have, all the resources you can mobilise, I believe that in no distant future that Aro will be different.

“We have a government that is also on that trajectory of changing everything and making things new. If we have one weak link anywhere, it affects the entire chain. So that’s why we have our eyes open to ensure that every society gives us the best,” Governor Otti counseled.

Earlier in his speech, the Eze Aro the 9th, HRM Eberechukwu oji, thanked the Governor for ensuring that the emergence of Eze Aro was done in line with the tradition of Aro Kingdom, stating that, for following this due process, peace, harmony and prosperity reign in Aro kingdom.

He assured that Aro people will work together to preserve these ideals.

While thanking the Governor on behalf of Arochukwu Kingdom, HRH, the Eze Eze Agwu na Okwara Agwu, Mazi Okoroafor Uror Okoroafor, acknowledged that due process was followed in the selection of Eze Aro IX. He complimented the Governor for helping ensure that peace and reconciliation returned to Aro Kingdom.

The new Eze Aro was accompanied on his visit to the Governor by his wife, Nneoma (Nneoha); the Eze Ibom Isii and Eze Eze Agwu na Okwara Agwu, the two traditional powers behind the Eze Aro stool; his father, Mazi Joshua Eni Kanu Oji; a previous Arianzu (Regent) of Aro Kingdom, Mazi Oji Kanu Oji, the President-General of Arochukwu, and a host of other elders and sons and daughters of Arochukwu Kingdom.

Governor Otti relieves the friendly atmosphere in the meeting.

Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, OFR, has welcomed the decision of the Nigerian Optometric Association to set up three national eye centres in Abia, and pledged to give the association all the support it needs to actualise the project.

Governor Otti said that government would identify the areas where the centres would be located and provide the appropriate logistics support for its take off.

The Governor spoke Thursday when he received the executive members of the Nigerian Optometric Association, who came with the representatives of the global eyecare charity, One Sight Essilor Luxottica Foundation.

He thanked the association for its decision to consider Abia as one of the states in the federation to benefit in the first phase of the proposed eye vision centres to address the prevalent issue of visual impairment due to refractive errors.

“I want to thank you for the decision to consider Abia. Just like Oliver Twist, we will always ask for more. But I think what is important for now is to take advantage of the offer and work closely with you,” the Governor said.

Governor Otti told the visiting eye doctors that their offer came at the right time as his administration had just started the process of renovating the primary healthcare facilities in the state and would therefore factor the project into the design and implementation so that it would be realised promptly.

According to the Governor, government had embarked on the renovation and retrofitting of the 15 general hospitals in the state, starting with three initially and now moving on to the remaining 12. He said once those are completed, “we move over to the primary health centres”.

On the request for the upward review of salaries and allowances of optometry doctors in the Abia State civil service, Governor Otti disclosed that his Special Adviser on Labour Relations was working on dealing with salary review, holistically.

Earlier in an address, the National President of the association, Dr Chimeziri Anderson, who led the delegation, said the One Sight Essilor Luxottica Foundation had decided to set up Optical laboratories in select regions of Nigeria, of which Umuahia, Abia State, has been chosen for the Eastern Region.

Dr Anderson said the association had considered Abia as one of the states where the first phase of first level Vision Centres would be set up, adding that the facility must be located at the primary centres at no cost to the government.

He noted that the project which would cover the 36 states, and the FCT, has been Kick-started in Abia state in recognition of Governor Otti’s healthcare drive which is evident by his increased budgetary allocation to health care.

Dr. Anderson used the forum to request for the commencement of internship training for optometrists in the state Higher institutions, engagement of Optometrists per local government through the primary health development agency to extend eye care services to rural communities and the review of salaries and allowances of optometry doctors in the Abia State civil service, among others.

The Governor was joined in the meeting by his Senior Special Assistant on Special Duties, Dr Betty Emeka-Obasi, who is a member of the association and supervises the eye clinic at the Abia Specialist and Diagnostic Center, Umuahia.