Abia govt gets AMCON nod to acquire Aba Star Paper Mill
By Steve Oko
Abia State Government, has received the approval of the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) to acquire the Star Paper Mill Aba.
Governor Alex Otti disclosed this during the graduation and send-off ceremony of the first batch and pioneer class of the Abia Leadership Academy, Cohort one, who have successfully completed their leadership training organised for young Abians aged between 16 and 20 years at Government College, Umuahia.
Star Paper Mill Aba, a foremost ’tissue paper’ -producing company, has been moribund for decades.
The Governor said the resuscitation of the factory would help create more job opportunities in the state.
He said:”Before the end of this month, we shall pay AMCON what Star Paper Mill owes them, and then take back the company and put it back to work.
“We are doing that because we knew it used to be the largest employer of labour at some point in the State, and our intention is not to own it.
“By the time we acquire it, retrofit it, get it back to work, we’ll still sell it to the private sector,” Otti stated.
Rstates commitment to developing future leaders
On the leadership academy, Otti restated his commitment to discovering, and developing future leaders that would uphold and promote the ideals of good governance in Nigeria and beyond.
Titling his speech “A New Pedestal,” Gov. Otti said that he was intentional about developing the leadership attitude of the young people who would assume leadership in various sectors.
“We are committed to getting it right with the younger generation. Otherwise, our wider development efforts will be in jeopardy.
“We are particular about developing the leadership attitude of our young ones, guiding them to think broadly and deeply to understand the values of empathy and good neighbourliness.
“The Abia Leadership Academy has been set up to begin the process of returning us to the ideals and values that made us distinct as a people in the wider human community.
“We have actively taken a conscious step to redirect the psyche and mental energy of our young people to the values and standards that once defined our communities,” Gov. Otti stated.
He expressed satisfaction with the participants’ output, good behaviour, and enthusiasm, saying that he is proud of what they have achieved.
The Governor urged them to be visionary and dream big but remain humble.
Otti hinted that “in the next few weeks, the project planning committee will map out how the 1,000 participants would be sent to various secondary and tertiary institutions to share what they have learnt to other young people.”
He added that his target was to train thousands of young people over the next few years.
Otti also noted that his government “is currently working on reviewing the curriculum to ensure that what is being taught in the schools is in sync with the realities of the time.”
In her remarks, the Chairman Abia State Civil Service Commission and member of the Abia Leadership Academy organising committee, Pastor Eno Jerry – Eze described the programme as historic, saying that, with the Abia Leadership Academy initiative, Abia is raising a critical mass of young leaders who believe that change is possible.
“This moment is indeed epochal because we are not just producing graduates. We are raising a critical mass of young leaders who believe that change is possible and who are equipped to drive it.
“We envision a future where the top 10% of professionals in any industry across the globe will proudly traced their roots to Abia Leadership Academy.
“Knowledge on its own is the bedrock of development. Yet, knowledge must be married with sound character, loyalty, ethics, and integrity.
“Today, through this academy, we present a hub for young people who, beyond conventional education, have been equipped with future-proof skills, a rich, solution-driven curriculum that empowers them to become leaders of thought, policy, and innovation”, Pastor Jerry – Eze stated.
Highlighting the content of the programme, the Lead Consultant and Programme Director, Mr Johnson Abali thanked the Governor for his bold move to plant leadership skills in the young people and described the programme as an investment.
Abali said:”They have been immersed in leadership lessons, exposed to critical thinking frameworks, and challenged to imagine Abia in 2045″
Some of the participants including Clinton Salvation, Divine Okezie, Oluomachi Favour Otum described the training as “life- changing experience.
They said the lessons learnt would sharpen their thoughts and make them to be able to contribute greatly to a better future for Abia State and Nigeria at large.
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