Aba North Chairman, Hon. Timothy Kalu Iheke, Joins Governor Alex Chioma Otti as 5,394 Newly Recruited Teachers Set to Resume September 22

The Executive Chairman of Aba North Local Government Area, Hon. Timothy Kalu Iheke, has joined Governor Alex Chioma Otti, OFR, in celebrating a historic milestone as the Abia State Government prepares for the official resumption of 5,394 newly recruited teachers on September 22, the date schools across the state are set to reopen.

Governor Otti disclosed this landmark development on Sunday, 14th September, during an unannounced worship service at Salvation Ministries, 135 Okigwe Road, Aba. The announcement was met with loud applause and jubilation by the congregation, underscoring the administration’s people-focused approach to governance.

According to the Governor, the recruitment exercise was carried out with utmost transparency, ensuring that only the most qualified candidates were engaged, regardless of their origin or background.

“In everything we do, we put righteousness first. In our recruitment, we hired 5,394 teachers. On the 22nd of this month, they would all resume. But the interesting thing is that there was no list, no Governor’s list, no Deputy Governor’s list, no Senator’s list, like it used to be in the past. Everything was done transparently. You apply, you write the test, you sit for the interview and then we take people from number one until we draw the line,” Governor Otti declared, earning a resounding ovation from the congregation.

The Governor emphasized that the employment opportunity was open to all residents of Abia, adding that it would be unjust to elevate an unqualified candidate above someone who merited the position.

Beyond education, Governor Otti also used the occasion to sensitize residents on their responsibility to safeguard public infrastructure being provided by his administration, urging them to ensure their surroundings remain clean. He reminded the people that Aba, once notorious for filth, has now been transformed into a cleaner, more habitable city under his leadership.

He further appealed to citizens to fulfill their civic duty of paying taxes, explaining that the Government had been considerate in its approach to taxation.

“If we have done what we need to do as a Government, then your own responsibility is to also do what you have to do, including paying your taxes. We have been very mild with taxes because we also understand how taxes work,” he noted.

Defining tax as “Government share of the prosperity that it has created,” Governor Otti stressed that no Government has a moral justification to collect taxes without first improving the welfare of its people.

He also commended Aba residents for acknowledging the State’s efforts in road construction and the provision of social amenities. In a moving testimony of appreciation, the Governor revealed that a grateful citizen donated ₦200 million to the Government after the rehabilitation of a decades-old collapsed road that reconnected his community to other areas.

Governor Otti encouraged Abians to participate actively in the ongoing continuous voter registration exercise, stating that abstaining from voting indirectly empowers the wrong candidates.

“If you fail to vote or shy away from voting in an election, you have voted for the wrong person,” he cautioned.

The Governor also expressed gratitude to the congregation for their unwavering prayers and support, noting that his administration was divinely ordained.

“His Government was institutionalised by God and would not deliberately do anything wrong,” he said.

After the church service, Governor Otti inspected the ongoing reconstruction of Ovom Street, which was severely damaged by gully erosion, leading to the destruction of houses and livelihoods. The Governor assured the enthusiastic residents, who came out in solidarity, that the project would be completed before the end of the year.

• Governor Otti was accompanied on the visit by top government functionaries, personal aides, and Aba North Chairman, Hon. Timothy Kalu Iheke, who lauded the Governor’s transparency, people-first policies, and unprecedented commitment to transforming Abia State.