The Abia government says it has partnered the Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) to prepare local entrepreneurs for exports and tackle counterfeit and substandard products.

The Commissioner for Information, Okey Kanu, disclosed this on Monday while briefing journalists on the outcome of the State Executive Council meeting in Umuahia, where he also outlined several other government decisions. 

On education, he announced that the Umuomaiukwu Smart School project in Isiala Ngwa North council area had been completed and would be inaugurated for public use on Wednesday.

He said that the school, formerly a conventional public primary school, had been transformed into one of the state’s flagship smart schools under the Smart School Initiative to improve access to technology-driven basic education.

Mr Kanu said that the Ministry of Trade and Commerce had partnered with the SON to train and certify entrepreneurs in the state to meet international standards for export. He said that the initiative would improve the quality of made-in-Abia products, eliminate counterfeit and substandard goods from markets, particularly in Aba, and position local manufacturers for the global market.

On flood control, Mr Kanu said the Umuahia Capital Development Authority (UCDA) had intensified the desilting of drainage channels across flood-prone areas of the state capital, with work ongoing in several locations.

He listed the affected locations as Adelabu Street, ShopRite-Uwalaka Street, Asaba Street Junction-Warri Road, Ndume Otuka Road, Winners Church-Ndume Road, Church of Christ-Ugba Road and Finbarrs Road.

The commissioner also said the state government was reviewing the condition of markets within and around Umuahia as part of its urban renewal programme, with Ogwumabiri Market near Abia Tower among those being considered.

Mr Kanu said that the Ministry of Works carried out direct labour road maintenance at 46 locations during the review period. He said that three projects had been completed, including the maintenance of the 5.2-kilometre Nkwoagu Junction-Nkwo Mbala Road in Umunneochi LGA, the 4.71Km Akara Junction-Ovim Bridge Road in Isuikwuato LGA, and the construction of the 220-metre Mazi Okoro Avenue in Arochukwu LGA.

Kanu said that two additional projects had been added to the ministry’s direct labour programme, including the rainy-season maintenance of the 52-kilometre Opopo Junction-Azumini-Obehie federal road linking the Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway, and rehabilitation of the 250-metre access road to the Obingwa LGA Headquarters. 

Mr Kanu said that the Abia government intervened on the federal road because of its importance to residents, noting that the administration did not discriminate between federal and state roads where public interest was involved. 

(NAN)