The Abia State Government is set to recruit 34 Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) and to rehabilitate 170 primary schools across the state.

Governor Okezie Ikpeazu who made this known during a town hall meeting in Abia South for the people of Obingwa, Aba North and Aba South Local Government Areas (LGAs) at Abia State Polytechnic, Aba, Monday, directed all the local government transition committee chairmen to appoint two physically challenged persons form their respective local governments as Special Assistants.

Ikpeazu said the directive was sequel to series of appeals to him by the physically challenged in the state to come to their assistance through employment as they were qualified and could contribute to the development of the state.

He said the appointments would help reduce unemployment in the state, assuring that his administration would carry everyone along.

The PWDs had, during the town hall meeting at Apumiri Ubakala, headquarters of Umuahia South local government for people of Ikwuano/Umuahia Federal Constituency, made a presentation, requesting for appointment of Special Adviser to the Governor who would represent their interest in the Ikpeazu administration, as well employment of their members who have acquired requisite education but were not engaged.

He used the forum to disclose that about N4 billion has been set aside for the renovation of primary schools across the state, promising that the fund would be judiciously applied. Under the programme, the governor said 10 primary schools would be rehabilitated in each of the 17 LGAs.

He hinted that youths with skills would be engaged during the schools rehabilitation work and encouraged youths in the state to acquire skills that would make them self-reliant from skills acquisition centres established by his administration.

The Governor expressed the view that engaging in Keke operation was not the best way to empower the youths, maintaining that his idea of youth empowerment was to have youths acquire skills.

He reiterated that his administration was planning to resuscitate the moribund Ogwe Golden Chicked in Ukwa West LGA where a proposed poultry village would be established for farmers who would be provided with facilities at no initial cost, pending when they would start making profit.

Ikpeazu further said that his administration was not relenting in rehabilitating dilapidated roads in Abia South, adding that his government was working hard to attract the African Development Bank to intervene on the Port Harcourt road through a $200 million facility earmarked to tackle erosion, road, sanitation and water in the state.

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