The Abia State Government has unveiled plans to collaborate with the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) to train entrepreneurs in Aba and certify locally manufactured products to meet international export standards.
The initiative, according to the Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, is part of the state's strategy to expand the global reach of Aba-made products while eliminating counterfeit and substandard goods from markets across the state.
Kanu disclosed this while briefing journalists on the resolutions of the State Executive Council meeting held in Umuahia.
He said the programme would strengthen the competitiveness of local manufacturers by equipping them with the knowledge and certification required to access international markets.
In a related development, the commissioner announced that the Executive Council had approved the establishment of six greenhouses—two in each of the state's three senatorial districts—to promote year-round cultivation of vegetables under controlled conditions.
He said the project, to be implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture, aligns with the government's efforts to improve food production and enhance agricultural productivity.
Kanu also revealed that the state has inaugurated a Planning and Implementation Committee ahead of the rollout of the Federal Government's Nigeria Agri-Business and Agri-Industry Development Initiative (NAADI) in Abia.
The committee comprises representatives from the Ministries of Trade and Commerce, Agriculture, Industry and SMEs, as well as officials of the Bank of Industry, Bank of Agriculture, the National Research Institute and other key stakeholders.
According to him, the initiative is expected to unlock Abia's agricultural and agro-industrial potential, diversify the state's economy and stimulate growth in the non-oil sector.
He noted that Abia would become the ninth state to implement the programme, adding that the official inauguration date would be announced after ongoing consultations between the state and federal governments.
On education, Kanu said Governor Alex Otti would commission the Umuomaiukwu Smart School in Isiala Ngwa North Local Government Area on Wednesday as part of the administration's drive to modernise public education.
He explained that the school, formerly a conventional public primary school, has been transformed into a state-of-the-art digital learning centre equipped with modern educational facilities.
The commissioner described the project as another milestone in the government's commitment to providing technology-driven and globally competitive learning environments for pupils.
Also speaking, the Governor's Special Adviser on Basic and Secondary Education, Sir Kenechukwu Nwosu, said the school has 10 smart classrooms fitted with interactive boards, multimedia teaching tools, learning management systems, teachers' workstations and digital devices for pupils.
He added that the facility also includes a modern ICT laboratory, a multipurpose hall, off-grid solar power, potable water supply, fire safety equipment and a 24-hour CCTV surveillance system.
Nwosu disclosed that pupil enrolment at the school has increased by more than 300 per cent following its transformation, reversing years of declining enrolment caused by poor infrastructure.
He further said teachers assigned to the school have undergone three phases of intensive training to prepare them for technology-based teaching and learning.
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