Abia State-owned Ogbonnaya Onu Polytechnic, Aba (OOPA), has secured a N2 billion TETFund High Impact Grant to speed up development works at its new Main Campus in Osisioma, on the outskirts of Aba metropolis.
Governor Alex Otti, while speaking during his August Media Chat with journalists, said the fund would fast-track the institution’s readiness to begin academic operations from the next session.
The Polytechnic, established over 30 years ago by the late Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, pioneer civilian governor of Abia State and former Minister of Science and Technology, has been running from a temporary campus within Aba.
The governor explained that OOPA was the only polytechnic in the South East zone among 17 institutions nationwide to benefit from the TETFund High Impact Grant.
Governor Otti commended the Rector, Dr. Christopher Okoro, and the school management, for the efforts that qualified the institution to receive the grant.
He said, “The N2 billion grant will facilitate not only the development of the Osisioma Main Campus, where lecture theatres, hostels, laboratories, and other buildings are already ongoing, but also support the expansion and upgrading of existing facilities at both campuses.”
The governor added that the grant would drive academic reforms to align the Polytechnic with global educational trends. According to him, “We will see the introduction of contemporary courses like Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, among others, to ensure our students gain skills relevant to today’s job market.”
Beyond tertiary education, Otti highlighted broader reforms in the state’s education sector. He announced that 20 primary Smart Schools are under construction, while 221 primary and secondary schools are undergoing rehabilitation as part of a comprehensive upgrade programme.
He further revealed that N14.43 billion has been spent on renovating 61 schools this year alone.
In addition, the governor disclosed that 5,394 newly recruited teachers have been deployed across the state to schools of their choice to ensure maximum service delivery. He stressed that the aim is to improve the quality of teaching and learning across all levels.
Providing updates in other sectors, Otti reported progress in Healthcare, Infrastructure, and Youth Empowerment. He noted that under his ‘Project Ekwueme,’ 120 Primary Healthcare Centres have already been rehabilitated out of the targeted 200, with upgrades ongoing in General Hospitals.
He explained that these upgrades include the provision of residential accommodation for staff to improve efficiency and quality of service.
The governor also approved the recruitment of 771 healthcare professionals to boost manpower in the system. According to him, 101,000 people have so far enrolled in the State Health Insurance Scheme, which he said would help expand access to affordable healthcare for residents.