Abia State governor Alex Otti has approved the appointment of special advisers, senior special assistants, and special assistants.
Press secretary to the governor, Kazie Ukoh, in a statement said appointments include ten special advisers, nine senior special assistants, and two special assistants.
According to the statement, Michael Akpara has been appointed as the governor’s Special Adviser on Finance, Uwanna Ikechukwu as his Senior Special Assistant on Legal Matters, Uche Eme Uche as his Special Adviser on Education, Joel F. Ogbonna as his Special Adviser on Petroleum and Energy, and Clifford C. Agbaeze as his Senior Special Assistant on Agriculture.
Other appointees are Chimereze Okigbo as the Special Adviser on Internally Generated Revenue, Uche Mark Nwosu as the Chief of Protocol, Uche Ukeje as the Senior Special Assistant on Aba Rejuvenation, Dodoh Okafor as the Special Assistant on Public Communication, and Uzor Nwachukwu as the Special Adviser on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs.
Meanwhile, Kingsley Anosike was appointed as the Special Adviser on Planning and Strategy, Uzoma Nwagba as the Senior Special Assistant on Digital Economy and SME, Rev. Father Christian Uche Anokwuru as the Special Adviser on Policies and Interventions, and Ifeoma Thomas as the Special Assistant on Vulnerable Groups and Poverty Alleviation.
Dike Nwankwo was also appointed as the Senior Special Assistant, Special Duties, to the Governor; Okey Kanu as the Special Adviser on Strategic Communication; Betty Emeka-Obasi as the Senior Special Assistant, Special Duties; and Chinedu Ekeke as the Senior Special Assistant, Youth and Sports Development.
Chuka Ofili will be the Senior Special Assistant for Domestic Affairs, Luke Ukara Onyeani will be the Senior Special Assistant for Legislative Matters, Navy Commander Macdonald Ubah (Rtd) will be the Special Adviser for Security, and Chimezie Ukaegbu will be the Special Adviser for Trade and Commerce.
The development comes about days after Governor Otti nominated eight officials, including Prof. Kenneth Kalu as the Secretary to the State Government and Caleb Ajagba as his Chief of Staff.
Since assuming office on Monday, the governor has also directed that all accounts of the Abia State Government be immediately frozen, as well as those of its agencies domiciled in all financial institutions.
