By IHECHINYERE CHIGEMERI-UWOM

Abia Government on Thursday announced that primary and secondary schools in the state are to resume on September 28 to complete the third term of the 2019/2020 academic session.

The Commissioner for Information, Chief John Okiyi Kalu, made this known in a statement he issued in Umuahia on the outcome of the State Executive Council (EXCO) meeting.

Okiyi Kalu stated that the schools were expected to conduct aone-weekrevision classes to prepare the pupils and students for the promotion examination.

According to him, the state government directed that the examination should hold from October 5to October 16.

He further stated that the examination would be used to assess the children, in addition to their first and second term work as well as the radio/television classroom programme.

He stated that teachers would be given one week to prepare the third term results, while the first term of 2020/21 session would commence on October 26 and end on December 23.

Okiyi Kalu also stated that the Ministry of Education would publish other guidelines, including the COVID-19 protocols and approved fees to be charged by private schools.

He stated that the resumption datesfor tertiary institutions would be announced by the schools’ authorities based on the time-table and protocols submitted to the state government.

The commissioner also stated that the EXCO directed the state Internal Revenue Agency and other relevant agencies to ensure that they met government’s internally generated revenue target for 2020.

He stated that the EXCO also approved the establishment of road maintenance committees in the 17 local government councilsto achieve the “zero pothole” policy of the state government.

Okiyi Kalu further stated that the EXCO approved the constitution of a committee to oversee the transition of Abia State Road Maintenance Agency to a limited liability company.

He stated that the measure would enable the agency to bid for road maintenance and construction jobs and also become more efficient and independent of government funding.

He also stated that approval had been given to a new construction company for the Ohafia Golf Course project with a mandate to complete its first phase on December 24.

He stated that the Ministry of Works had been directed to prioritise the rehabilitation of Ngwa-Emelogu-Opobo-Azumini Road in Aba, with emphasis on Good Morning MarketBridge.

Okiyi Kalu stated that the EXCO also approved the contract for the construction of Omuma Road, off Ama Ogbonna, Aba, with Rigid Pavement (Cement) Technology (RPT).

Others included the reconstruction of Awoja-Akoli-Ngodo-Imennyi Road, reconstruction of Akalanna Street, off Okigwe Road, Aba, reconstruction/rehabilitation of Ofeme Empire Road, rehabilitation of Mbawsi Road (from King Jerry Mortuary to Railway Crossing).

The rest were the reconstruction of Milverton Avenue-Chisco Lane-Ojike Lane, Aba, with drains, asphalt overlay of Okigwe Road, Aba and construction of Ahunnanya Street in Obingwa with RPT.

He stated that EXCO also approvedthe procurement of mobile laboratory and medical theater to cover all the local government areas as part of the fight against COVID-19.

Okiyi Kalu stated that approval was also given for the procurement of COVID-19 intervention materials for Abia State University Teaching Hospital and College of Health Sciences and Management, Aba.

Okiyi Kalu added that EXCO also approved the partial commencement of non-contact sports in the state.

He stated that the EXCO charged the state Independent Electoral Commission to ensure that the upcoming local council poll would be free, fair and credible. (NAN)