By Ihechinyere Chigemeri-Uwom, Umuahia, July 3, 2025 (NAN) Gov. Alex Otti of Abia says that the government will establish an academy to drive his administration’s agenda, providing structured capacity-building training for workers.
Otti made this statement on Thursday in his closing remarks at the Abia State Q2 2025 Executive Council Strategy Retreat, held at the International Conference Centre, Umuahia.
He directed all the commissioners and Heads of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to develop comprehensive training and capacity-building programmes for their respective organisations.
According to him, the move would further drive his administration’s agenda to reform the Abia workforce.
He also said that the training formed part of the broader efforts to enhance service delivery and sustain the administration’s momentum in rebuilding Abia.
“One central takeaway from this meeting is the importance of training and mentorship, supporting individuals to become better versions of themselves to become better employees and subordinates,” he said.
He emphasised that critical learning areas, such as ICT, communication, stakeholder management, and value creation, should be incorporated into and tailored to each MDA’s unique mandate.
Otti said that internal training resources would be prioritised, and the option of engaging external experts should be considered.
“Nobody should be left behind, and any staff who fails to participate should be reprimanded,” he said.
The governor also said that clear assessment metrics must be developed, with training outcomes factored into official responsibilities.
He said that he was expecting to receive periodic reports on the training outcomes from various MDAs.
He said: “We are a future-oriented administration and to that effect, we shall ensure that, henceforth, government employees go through scheduled training from time to time.
“The government will soon establish an academy to facilitate this initiative.”
The governor also said that plans were underway to extend mentorship initiatives to students in secondary schools and tertiary institutions across the state.
Otti directed the Chief Strategy Officer and Chairman of the Civil Service Commission to design a training template for 1,000 young people aged 16 to 20 years old.
He said that the programme would focus on leadership development, character building, and self-discovery, and would run from the first week of August to the second week of September, during the school vacation.
He further stated that the training should be institutionalised, conducted periodically, and properly certified.
“The programme should be structured to transform the minds of the young leaders, expose them to new thinking, and prepare them for the task of leadership and service in communities in due course,” he said.
Otti described the youth as the state’s greatest asset and affirmed his administration’s commitment to investing heavily in both conventional and modern learning systems.
He expressed his appreciation to the retreat organisers, development partners, consultants, resource persons, and members of the Abia State Global Economic Advisory Council for their contributions to the retreat’s success.
He also reiterated his administration’s commitment to delivering key infrastructure projects across the state.
Otti charged the retreat participants to apply the knowledge gained to improve performance in their respective MDAs.
He said, “I am confident that you will not let us down, because building a new Abia is our collective project.”