Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, says his administration would recruit no fewer than 5,000 teachers to fill the shortage in the primary and secondary schools in the state.

Otti made the declaration in his inaugural speech shortly after taking the Oath of at the Umuahia Township Stadium in Abia State on Monday, May 29.

The governor said it was part of his administration’s resolve to rebuild the school system so it could produce quality students that would be relevant to the needs of modern society.

He said within the next one month, he would work closely with his team and relevant stakeholders to design an appropriate framework to be used to drive the recruitment.

Governor Otti stated that priority would be given to young graduates in education, science, technology, engineering, and mathematics and those willing to serve in rural communities.

He said: “We shall see to it that our teachers undergo regular refresher courses to update their knowledge and teaching skills so that they will stay relevant in their chosen fields.

READ ALSO: Otti: No court has sacked me as Abia Governor-elect

“It must also be stated that under our government, teachers shall never be shabbily treated as reportedly had been the custom in the past.

“The paucity of infrastructure in our educational system shall be addressed stridently.”

Otti further declared a state of emergency on refuse disposal and waste management in Umuahia and Aba, the commercial nerve centre of the state.

The governor, who said a healthy urban environment would be a major priority for his government, directed the leadership of the State Environmental Protection Agency to roll out everything at its disposal and see that all refuse heaps within the two cities were promptly evacuated.

The former bank chief added that his administration would, within the next few days, commence the payment of May salaries and pensions to all civil servants and retirees.

“There shall be no more distinction between the so-called ‘core’ and ‘non-core’ civil servants in the state.

“From June, all salary and pension obligations of the state would be settled by the 28th of every month.

“My commitment during my campaigns to pay off all outstanding salary and pension arrears remains sacrosanct,” Otti stressed.

The Star