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“A Central Part Of Our Value Multiplication Outlook Is To Retain The Best Hands… Have Them Contribute Directly In Improving Social Service Delivery Through The Institutions Of Government” — Gov. Alex Otti Says, as 19 TechRise Graduates Get Automatic Civil Service Employment
“A Central Part Of Our Value Multiplication Outlook Is To Retain The Best Hands… Have Them Contribute Directly In Improving Social Service Delivery Through The Institutions Of Government” — Gov. Alex Otti Says, as 19 TechRise Graduates Get Automatic Civil Service Employment
The Executive Governor of Abia State, His Excellency Dr. Alex Chioma Otti, OFR, has approved automatic employment into the Abia State Civil Service for the 19 best-graduating students of TechRise Cohort 3 of the Abia TechRise ICT skills development programme.
The Governor made the announcement on Friday, August 21, 2026, during the graduation ceremony of 850 youths under Cohort 3 of the programme held at the JAAC Secretariat, Umuahia.
The event also had in attendance the Mayor of Aba North Local Government Area, Hon. Timothy Iheke, alongside other Mayors and senior government officials, as Governor Otti continued his push to equip Abia youths with the skills needed to compete in the rapidly expanding digital economy.
In another major boost for the graduands, Governor Otti announced a cash donation of ₦100,000 each for all 850 beneficiaries. He further directed that the laptops used by the graduands during the training be transferred to them as their personal property, providing them with essential tools to continue learning, working and building their careers after the programme.
The Governor also directed the Head of Service and the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation to liaise with the Chief Information Officer of the State to identify existing ICT gaps in government institutions, with a view to filling them with qualified TechRise graduands.
Explaining the decision to employ the top 19 graduates, Governor Otti said his administration was determined to retain exceptional talents produced through the programme and deploy their knowledge and expertise towards improving public service delivery.
“A central part of our value multiplication outlook is to retain the best hands from each cohort of the programme and have them contribute directly in improving social service delivery through the institutions of government,“ Governor Otti stated.
The Governor also directed that a special salary structure be put in place for ICT professionals in the civil service, subject to applicable conditions.
Charging the graduands to remain committed to continuous learning, Governor Otti reminded them that the greatest benefit of the programme was the knowledge and practical skills they had acquired.
He congratulated the 850 graduands and challenged them to convert their newly acquired skills into viable businesses and innovations, while warning them against using their knowledge for criminal activities.
Governor Otti equally commended the graduands who developed a functional drone and directed the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation to work with the team to explore ways of moving the innovation from concept to commercial viability.
The Governor further disclosed plans to establish international-standard ICT examination and certification centres in Abia, a move expected to enable residents to obtain professional certifications required for career advancement without having to travel outside the State.
He added that his administration was working with MTN to ensure internet penetration reaches all nooks and crannies of Abia State.
Also speaking, the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Prince Uzor Nwachukwu, said the administration of Governor Otti, in partnership with the 17 Local Government Areas, had through the 100 percent cost-free, three-month technological skills acquisition programme transformed a total of 2,210 youths drawn from Abia and other States of the Federation into architects of the digital future.
“Over the past one year and half, this programme has produced 2,210 youths in 3 study cohorts, both Abians and other Nigerians from other areas of the country living in Abia without discrimination.
“Our dear graduands, over the past three months, you have mastered complex languages, solved intricate problems and turned abstract concepts into functional reality,“ Prince Nwachukwu stated.
Speaking on behalf of the Mayors of the 17 LGAs, the Mayor of Umuahia South LGA, Hon. Engr. Chinedu Enwereuzo, described Governor Otti’s policies and programmes as intentional and urged the graduands to leverage all they had been taught to build better futures for themselves.
Earlier, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Lady Oge Maduka, thanked Governor Otti for his commitment to human capital development and his deliberate investment in the future of young people in the State.
She noted that beneficiaries of the programme had been equipped with practical ICT skills capable of opening doors to employment, entrepreneurship and opportunities across the world.
In his remarks, the Chief Executive Officer of LearnFactory and TechRise Coordinator, Engr. Chibueze Ukaegbu, disclosed that TechRise had also trained 2,500 civil servants in computer skills and had resolved to increase the number to 5,000.
He said books on Coding had been authored and that 500 copies would be donated to smart schools to support technology education. He also disclosed proposals for the introduction of Coding in primary and secondary schools, as well as an “Abia One Stop Platform” proposed to the State Government.
Responding on behalf of the graduands, Mr. Onuoha Victor Chinedu thanked Governor Otti for the training, noting that the programme had empowered them to face the future with courage and expressing hope that other youths would ben
efit from subsequent training programmes.
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