The Abia State Government is set to establish a Mentorship Academy to train 1,000 secondary school and university students across the state in mentorship and capacity-building initiatives.
Governor Alex Otti made the announcement at the International Conference Centre, Umuahia, during his closing remarks at the end of the Abia State Q2 2025 Executive Council Strategy Retreat.
He directed the Chief Strategy Officer and the Chairman of the Civil Service Commission to develop a suitable framework to train young people aged 16 to 20 on leadership, character development, and self-discovery—skills that go beyond the conventional school curriculum.
Describing youths as the state’s most valuable asset, Governor Otti reiterated his administration’s commitment to investing substantially in both traditional and emerging forms of education.
In a broader directive, the Governor instructed all Commissioners and heads of Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to create comprehensive training and capacity-building programmes tailored to their respective mandates. He emphasized that essential learning areas—such as Information and Communication Technology (ICT), communication, stakeholder management, and value creation—must be incorporated to improve service delivery.
The governor also mandated that the training programme be inclusive and warned that any staff who fails to participate will face disciplinary action.
Governor Otti expressed appreciation to everyone who contributed to the success of the retreat, including members of the Abia State Global Economic Advisory Council, and reaffirmed his administration’s resolve to deliver key infrastructure projects across the state.
He encouraged participants to apply the knowledge gained from the retreat to enhance performance and foster excellence in their respective MDAs.
Participants such as the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Prince Uzor Nwachukwu; Special Assistant to the Governor on Transport, Dr. Obioma Nwaogbe; and Special Assistant to the Governor on Trade, Commerce, and Industry, Chief Nwaka Inem, lauded the retreat as timely and pledged to implement the strategies learned to support the administration’s goals.