Agency Governor Alex Otti of Abia State says the state government will soon make a pronouncement on a new retirement age for nurses in the state from 60 years to 65 years. Otti said this on Friday at the Government House, Umuahia, during his monthly interactive session with newsmen. He said that the measure was part of the government’s resolve to revamp the health sector, being one of the priority areas of his administration.
He said that the government had already extended the retirement age of teachers from 60 years to 65 years. Also, the governor said that the government had concluded arrangements to set up a state-of-the-art medical city. Otti said that the committee for the project had been set up and the location had already been identified.
He said that the government would collaborate with two groups of international medical missions, namely: Extended Hands and Lifted Hands organisations to realise the project. “We are committing everything to it because it is going to be one of our signature projects. “The whole idea is to reverse medical tourists into Abia,” Otti said.
Otti orders urgent action on Aba gully erosion site He further said that the government under his watch had so far been able to operate without borrowing any money. According to him, the government has quite a few offers that are tempting “and we believe that at the appropriate time, we will access them.” “We are working on African Development Bank and Islamic Development Bank Group faci.