Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, has announced a ban on all forms of payment in primary and secondary schools across the state.

In his New Year address, Otti underscored his administration?s resolve to safeguard the future of the children, declaring, ?We have stopped all forms of payments in the primary and secondary schools. Not even PTA levies should be charged to any parent or guardian in any public school in the state.?

To ensure smooth school operations, the governor unveiled a new financial system for public schools.

?We have introduced an imprest account system for the running of schools. Headteachers and school principals are now entitled to specific sums every month for managing the day-to-day operations of their schools.

?There is therefore no excuse to extort or deny any child the opportunities that come with learning and enlightenment. We shall be strict with enforcement, and it will be a grievous mistake to test our will,? he asserted.

The governor laid out his administration?s plans for 2025, emphasising the urgency of his government?s developmental agenda.

?We are practically in a hurry; we want to live in fulfilment of the dreams of this administration: to build systems and structures, to rebuild our state, and to realign governance priorities to reflect the true aspirations of the people.

?We have since evolved a system that prioritises the needs of the downtrodden by paying attention, listening carefully, and channeling public resources to where they yield the highest social and economic dividends to the majority,? he said.

Otti revealed that 35 per cent of the state?s entire budgetary outlay would be directed to education and health, highlighting the role these sectors play in Abia?s transformation.

?We shall fast-track efforts to remake our schools into centres of excellence in effective teaching and learning. As you may know, the law mandating all children of school age to be in school every school day comes into effect from today.

?As soon as the new school term begins later in the month, it will be unlawful to find any child outside the walls of the classroom during school hours,? he said.

Otti also warned against threats to public safety.

?We shall not hesitate to deploy the full might of the government against any individual or group whose activities pose a threat to the safety of our people,? he said.

He reiterated the administration?s focus on economic revitalisation.

?We shall do everything in our power to reposition the state to become irresistibly attractive to those seeking to expand to new territories or cut costs by taking advantage of the boundless opportunities the state offers, especially in the areas of human capital, improved social infrastructure, and seamless ease-of-doing-business protocols.

?We shall, in the New Year, consolidate our efforts to make the state investor-friendly. We shall give greater attention to the agricultural sector,? the governor added. (The PUNCH)

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