By Oscar Kambona
Provost of Abia State College of Education Technical Arochukwu, Dr Phillips Nto, has commended the state Governor, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu for providing Christmas palliatives to state indigenes.
“Providing practical palliatives to the people of the state through motorable roads and payment of arrears of salaries is worth-commending,” he said.
The former finance commissioner in the state said that by rehabilitating most of the roads, paying civil servants on time and clearing some arrears of salaries of parastatals, Ikpeazu has given the people a memorable Christmas.
The former World Bank consultant disclosed further that he took time to tour some of the roads, praised the governor for matching words with action in the governance of the state.
The Provost noted that those arriving the state for the Christmas would appreciate Ikpeazu’s sincere commitment to transform the state.
According to him, in spite of the financial challenges occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic, Ikpeazu was still executing infrastructure and other democracy dividends.
He said only a man with managerial acumen like the governor could have been paying salaries as well as meeting other obligations of government.
Although he acknowledged that salaries were the right of workers, Nto argued that some states could not pay for December because of financial constraints.
The provost expressed appreciation to the governor for approving two months salary for ASCETA, saying it was the first time the college staff were celebrating Christmas with their December salaries.
He assured the governor that with the reposition of the college, ASCETA was poised to playing its role as the plank of the education for employment policy of the state government.
The provost therefore enjoined the college workforce to reciprocate Ikpeazu’s gesture by recommiting to quality teaching and research.