Otti Shakes up Media Team, Clears Unpaid Fees of Stranded Abia Scholars in India Varsity

Emmanuel Ugwu-Nwogo in Umuahia

Barely 22 days after the first anniversary of his administration, Abia Governor, Mr. Alex Otti, has reorganised his media team by appointing a new Chief Press Secretary(CPS), Mr. Ukoha Njoku Ukoha, to replace Mr. Kazie Uko.
The change in the media team was announced by the state Commissioner for Information and Culture, Prince Okey Kanu, at a media briefing on the outcome of this week’s meeting of the State Executive Council, chaired by the governor on Wednesday night.
He did not give reasons for the sudden removal of Uko, who was assigned the role of CPS at the onset of the Otti administration.
However, Kanu said that the change of the CPS was approved by Governor Otti “in a bid to rejig the media team of his administration”.
The Information Commissioner said that the new CPS “is renowned for his experience in advocacy and media management and would bring his expertise and passion for writing to bear” in his new job.
He further disclosed that the pathetic situation of Abia students on government scholarship in an India university, SRI SAI, was discussed by SEC following reports that they were abandoned by the previous administration which failed to pay their fees.
Kanu said that the governor has given succour to the stranded students as he “graciously approved that their fees be paid to enable them continue their education in the university in India”.
Neither the number of stranded students nor the amount involved in offsetting their unpaid school fees was made known.
But the commissioner noted that the interest shown by the Abia Governor in the affairs of the stranded students was in line with the “high premium he places on the state’s education sector”, adding that “a lot has been happening in that sector”.
The state government spokesman further disclosed that the payment of bursary to 271  Abia students in various law schools in Nigeria has now been carried out as earlier approved by the governor in March.

 “It has actually been made now,” he affirmed.

The Commissioner for Information stated that the governor has secured accreditation of 19 academic programmes for the Abia State University, Uturu (ABSU).

 “This speaks to all the efforts he(Otti) has been making to ensure that our educational sector turns out to be one of the best in the country,” Kanu said.