Governor Alex Otti says his administration has launched an intervention to protect, repatriate and reintegrate Abians affected by xenophobic attacks in South Africa, with the Ministry of Poverty Alleviation and Social Protection coordinating the evacuation of additional returnees.

Speaking on Monday while briefing journalists on the outcome of the State Executive Council meeting in Umuahia, Mr Kanu said the ministry was processing an additional batch of returnees while maintaining contact with leaders of the Abia community in South Africa.

According to him, the Abia government is also working to identify and verify other stranded Abia citizens in South Africa. Mr Kanu assured that the Abia government would continue to assist affected
citizens and facilitate their return to Nigeria and Abia.

On education, Mr Kanu said that the Ministry of Basic and Secondary
Education would conduct a mandatory five-day orientation programme for newly recruited teachers from September 7 to 12. He said that the training would take place at Dr Ogbonnaya Onu Polytechnic, Aba, and Federal Government Girls College, Umuahia. According to him, each participant will select a preferred training venue through the ministry’s portal.

The commissioner said that the programme would expose the teachers to their responsibilities as public and civil servants, as well as the vision and strategic direction of education.

Mr Kanu also said that the training would introduce participants to interactive, learner-centred teaching methods and digital literacy.

He added that participants would be exposed to data-driven education tools, STEM teaching methods and vocational alignment in STEM education.

On sexual and gender-based violence, Kanu said that the Abia Sexual
Assault Referral Centre (SARC) had recorded eight cases involving
survivors aged between four and 25 years.

He said that the cases involved abuse by neighbours, landlords, family members and, in one instance, a labourer. According to him, some of the incidents involved repeated assaults on young children by the same perpetrator.

Mr Kanu said that the centre provided medical, psychosocial and legal
support to the survivors, while collaborating with law enforcement
agencies to pursue justice for victims.

He said that the development
underscored the need for sustained efforts to protect vulnerable persons and combat sexual and gender-based violence in the state.

The commissioner also said that the 2026 Abia Women’s August Meeting had set a new standard for grassroots development and strategic empowerment of women. He said that the meeting, held across the 17 council areas, focused on economic empowerment, skills development, social protection and support for vulnerable women. Mr Kanu said that the initiative aligned with the state government’s women empowerment agenda, with particular attention to widows and vulnerable women.

He said that the programme also promoted entrepreneurship and sustainable livelihoods among women across the state.

(NAN)