Foreign, Local Professionals Vie for 771 Medical Jobs in Abia

Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, has revealed that several medical professionals from outside the state and abroad have applied for the ongoing recruitment of doctors, nurses, and other healthcare personnel in Abia.

Governor Otti made this disclosure during his monthly media briefing at the Government House, Umuahia, on Thursday. He said applications have been received from Zambia, South Africa, and various Nigerian states, emphasizing that the interest underscores the confidence the outside community places in his administration.

He reiterated that the recruitment of 771 medical staff would be strictly merit-based, with candidates undergoing a series of tests to ensure that the most qualified individuals are selected.

The governor also announced that additional Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) have been activated across the state. He assured that accommodations would be provided for the medical staff at the PHCs to guarantee effective 24-hour service delivery.

On the agricultural front, Otti stated that his administration is supporting Abia farmers to transition from subsistence to commercial farming, a policy aimed at curbing rural-urban migration. He noted that a technological system has been introduced to identify and monitor genuine farmers, adding that 45,000 farmers have so far been enumerated.

In the education sector, the governor expressed satisfaction that all 33 courses at Ogbomnya Onu Polytechnic, previously withdrawn by the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), have now been re-accredited.