Abia State Government Reaffirms Transparent and Merit-Based Recruitment of Health Professionals to Strengthen Healthcare Sector

The Abia State Government has restated its unwavering commitment to recruiting only qualified health professionals into the state’s healthcare sector through a transparent, credible, and merit-driven process designed to strengthen the system and deliver quality medical services to citizens.

The Commissioner for Information, Prince Sir Okey Kanu, disclosed this on Monday at the Government House, Umuahia, while briefing journalists on the outcome of this week’s State Executive Council meeting presided over by Governor Alex Otti.

Providing updates on the recruitment process, Prince Kanu revealed that “at the onset, about 2,035 applications were received, while 1,752 applicants were shortlisted. 1,404 applicants completed the CBT assessment test, staged in two cohorts.

“The first cohort had about 1,250 applicants, and the mop-up cohort had about 187 applicants. The interview for those who were successful during the CBT test is ongoing.”

Reinforcing the government’s stance on transparency, the Chairman of the Abia State Civil Service Commission, Pastor Mrs. Eno Jerry-Eze, emphasized that the exercise remains strictly merit-based and is aligned with the Governor’s vision of a new Abia.

“We are committed to ensuring that His Excellency’s vision and dream of a new Abia is also implemented even in our recruitment process.

“So the idea is that we are getting the most qualified persons into the healthcare or the health profession.

“We are interested in getting the most qualified people in and we are doing everything possible to ensure that happens,” Mrs. Jerry-Eze affirmed.

With this initiative, the Otti-led administration is setting new standards of fairness and accountability in public sector employment, assuring Abians that the state’s health institutions will be manned by competent professionals dedicated to service delivery.