The Abia State Government has set up a panel of enquiry to investigate allegations of misconduct against the suspended Provost of the Abia State College of Education, Technical, Arochukwu (ASCETA) and to examine the administration of the institution under his leadership.
According to Prince Okey Kanu, the Commissioner for Information, the move is part of the government’s broader efforts to restore discipline and accountability in all its higher institutions.
“In line with the administration’s commitment to quality education, the total renovation of the College of Education has commenced,” he stated.
At the Abia State University, Uturu (ABSU), Kanu announced that Governor Alex Otti’s administration had approved the recruitment of lecturers across various categories to fill existing vacancies in key academic disciplines. He further disclosed that the government had approved the procurement of engineering equipment worth N800 million for ABSU.
Speaking during a media briefing on Tuesday in Umuahia after this week’s State Executive Council meeting, Kanu recalled that the governor had pledged to renovate the university’s male hostel and other facilities. He confirmed that renovation work on the hostel was nearly complete and would be ready before the end of the month.
On the accreditation status of ABSU, the commissioner revealed that the National Universities Commission (NUC) had released the outcome of its October/November 2024 accreditation exercise, granting full accreditation to several programmes, including Law, Agriculture, Mass Communication, and Educational Management and Planning.
Turning attention to the Ogbonnaya Onu Polytechnic, Aba, Kanu disclosed that staff who had not been promoted since 2008 had now received their long-overdue promotions. He also announced the commencement of salary arrears payments owed to staff who have been dismissed or resigned.
“It is instructive to note that this is the first promotion exercise in the Ogbonnaya Onu Polytechnic since 2008, making it a morale booster for the institution,” he said.
Kanu also highlighted the recent performance of the Polytechnic in national examinations, stating: “The results of the 2nd National Institute of Science, Laboratory, and Technology modular practical examinations phase 1 show that all 164 students fielded by the school passed, achieving a 100 per cent success rate. For modular 2 of the same examination series, 158 students sat and 157 passed, giving a success rate of 99 per cent.”
He praised the institution’s technological innovations, including the development of an online clearance platform, which eliminates the need for physical presence on campus for student clearance processes.
“The school is also undertaking a comprehensive curriculum review and has introduced emerging courses, including Artificial Intelligence,” he added.
On the recruitment of teachers, Kanu announced that the 5,300 successful candidates from the first round of the exercise would soon be deployed. He said a portal would be launched in the coming days to begin the second phase of recruitment.
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