Igbeaku Orji 
…Relishes President’s Visit
Abia State government has declared that this year’s World Sight Day would be marked in the State with free tests, drugs and glasses, urging the people to avail themselves of the free service.
Speaking on the event the Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu announced that the State Executive Council has approved the commemoration of this year’s World Sight Day with the theme, “Love Your Eye, Vision for All”, from October 6 to 10, with free eye screening, glasses, drugs and counseling and a symposium, on Thursday titled “Prioritizing Eye Health, A Collective Approach”, at JAAC secretariat Umuahia.
“Permit me to use this medium to invite all who have one eye challenge or the other to attend the symposium, as well as visit the Vision Centres at the functionalized Primary Health Centres to be attended to, free of charge.”
He also conveyed the appreciation of the Abia State Executive Council to President Bola Tinubu for visiting and commissioning various projects executed by Governor Alex Otti in the State, as well as the residents who trooped out to receive Mr President.
Represented by the Honourable Minister of Works, Engineer Dave Umahi, Prince Kanu added that the President’s visit underscores the significance of the massive infrastructural achievements of the Governor Otti-led administration.
He noted that the visit has opened a new vista of strategic partnership with the federal government in the onerous task of delivering democracy dividends to Ndi Abia.
Prince Kanu further informed that the ex-staff of Ogbonnaya Onu Polytechnic, who were owed some arrears of salaries, have been substantially paid, in line with the Governor’s promise to pay all verified arrears of Abia workers owed by the past administration.
He, however, noted that less than 10% of those affected have not been paid due largely to technical issues, which the Office of the Commissioner for Finance and the Accountant General are attending to.
The Information boss informed that, through the Governor’s vision on youth and sports development, Abia state has continued to make waves in the sports arena with the simultaneous hosting of the Para Badminton International Championships that ended on Sunday and the All-African Para Badminton Championship that commenced on Monday, at the International Conference Centre, Umuahia.
“This,”he explained, “points to the fact that Abia State is taking its rightful place amongst the comity of states in Nigeria in terms of youth and sports development.”
Also, at the recently concluded 9th youth games in Asaba, Delta state, Abia State participated with 415 participants, the largest in the history of the State, where it took the sixth position, while the State’s football team won gold for the second consecutive time, among other trophies in the National Women’s Volleyball Division 1 League in Abuja.
