By LEONARD OKACHIE

Gov. Alex Otti of Abia has said that the State Government will soon make a pronouncement on a new retirement age for nurses in the state from 60 years to 65 years.

Otti said this on Friday night at the Government House, Umuahia during his monthly interactive session with newsmen.

He said that the measure was part of the government’s resolve to revamp the health sector, being one of the priority areas of his administration.

He said that the government had already extended the retirement age of teachers from 60 years to 65 years.

Also, the governor said that the government had concluded arrangements to set up a state-of-the-art medical city.

Otti said that the committee for the project had been set up and the location already identified.

He said that the government would collaborate with two groups of international medical missions, namely: Extended Hands and Lifted Hands organisations to realise the project.

“We are committing everything to it because it is going to be one of our signature projects.

“The whole idea is to reverse medical tourists into Abia,” Otti said.

He further said that the government under his watch had so far been able to operate without borrowing any money.

According to him, the government has quite a few offers that are tempting and we believe that at the appropriate time we will access them.

“We are working on African Development Bank and Islamic Development Bank Group facilities.

“The terms are generous and we believe that when we need them we will be able to access any of them.

“I can say that the state of the state is healthy, but we will continue to keep our eye on the ball,” the governor said.

He also spoke on the modest achievements so far made in different sectors of the state, including agriculture.

He said that government had successfully recovered the palm, rubber, cocoa and other plantations, which were concessioned to private individuals by previous administrations.

The governor thanked the residents of the state for their support and urged them to sustain it toward building a new Abia. (NAN)

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