The Abia State Government has said it is intensifying efforts to identify and repatriate its indigenes still stranded in South Africa following xenophobic attacks.
The government said the Ministry of Poverty Alleviation and Social Protection is coordinating the protection, repatriation and reintegration of Abians who wish to return home.
Already, those who have returned to the State have received N1 million each to facilitate their immediate resettlement, while the government is working on additional assistance packages for them.
The Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, disclosed this to journalists after the weekly State Executive Council meeting in Umuahia.
Kanu said the ministry is processing another batch of returnees while maintaining contact with leaders of the Abia community in South Africa to identify and verify other stranded indegenes in need of assistance.
He said: “The government will not relent in providing assistance to our less fortunate brothers and sisters who are facing difficult circumstances in South Africa.
“Through the Ministry of Poverty Alleviation and Social Protection, we will continue to identify such Abians and make efforts to ensure that they return safely to the country and to Abia, their home State.”
MTN deal on track
Meanwhile, Kanu also disclosed that considerable progress has been made in the government’s partnership with MTN Nigeria Limited to achieve full voice and data coverage across the State.
He said 77 per cent of the newly deployed network sites are currently operational, extending telecommunications services to previously underserved communities.
According to him, the improved network coverage has enhanced residents’ access to voice and data services.
He, however, expressed concern over the vandalisation of some network sites and fibre infrastructure, particularly in parts of Aba, saying the development had affected efforts to achieve almost 100 per cent coverage.
“MTN Nigeria Limited is working assiduously to regain the almost 100 per cent coverage that was achieved a few weeks ago before the vandalisation of most of the new sites,” Kanu said.
He listed some of the locations benefiting from the newly deployed infrastructure as Aba-Umuahia Road in Isiala Ngwa South; Umuako Health Centre in Isiala Ngwa North; St Theresa’s School axis in Umuahia South; Osundi-Ibunda-Abo Nkporo in Ohafia; Umuozo Community and Ikeduru Street in Aba; and Isiaku Primary Health Centre, Alayi.
The commissioner appealed to residents and communities to protect the infrastructure, stressing that the facilities were being installed for their benefit.
“These communication and network assets are being installed for the use and convenience of Abians and residents, hence communities should take ownership and help protect them from vandalism,” he said.
Kanu expressed optimism that MTN would restore the affected sites in the coming weeks and return the state to its targeted 100 per cent coverage.
“The belief is that in the coming weeks, we will go back to 100 per cent coverage, so that in every part of Abia State where you are, you will be able to make use of the internet, both voice and data,” he said.
He described the project as one that would help redefine the business landscape of the State.
Teachers’ orientation
On the deployment of more than 4,000 newly recruited teachers, following an earlier batch of over 5,000, Kanu said the Ministry of Basic Education has scheduled a mandatory five-day orientation programme for the new recruits.
He said the orientation would hold from September 7 to 12, 2026, at Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu Polytechnic, Aba, and Federal Government Girls’ College, Umuahia.
The commissioner said the new teachers were expected to select their preferred orientation venue through the Ministry of Basic Education’s portal.
According to him, the programme would expose the recruits to the responsibilities and expectations of the public and civil service, the vision and strategic direction of education under the Governor Alex Otti administration, as well as modern learner-centred teaching methods.
“The new teachers would also receive training in digital literacy, classroom technology, data-driven teaching tools, Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) methodologies and vocational alignment, with experts in the various fields serving as resource persons,” he said.
- Media Report