Abia Government Assures Communities of Fair Compensation on Land Acquisition, Approves CONHESS for Health Workers
Abia State government assures communities of fair compensation on land acquisition and pledges transparency under Governor Alex Otti. The State Executive Council also approved CONHESS for local government health workers and reopened recruitment for medical professionals.
The Abia State government has called on communities across the state to cooperate with it on land acquisition matters, assuring that no land will be taken without adequate and fair compensation to rightful owners.
The Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, gave the assurance on Monday during a press briefing after the weekly Executive Council meeting presided over by Governor Alex Otti.
Kanu explained that the administration has maintained a fair and transparent approach to land management, adding that communities have nothing to fear under the current government.
“Communities should cooperate with the government. Under the watch of Governor Alex Otti, Abians will never be shortchanged in terms of lands acquired for projects,” he said.
The Commissioner also emphasized that all lands acquired by the state are used strictly for their intended purposes, warning against speculation or misinformation suggesting otherwise.
Kanu reminded the public that, under the 1978 Land Use Act, ownership of large portions of land rests with the government, but assured that the Otti-led administration has consistently paid what he described as “handsome compensation” to affected landowners.
In a related development, the Commissioner announced that the State Executive Council has approved the implementation of the Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS) for health workers under local governments.
He said the decision is part of the government’s ongoing civil service reforms aimed at improving worker welfare and strengthening the state’s healthcare delivery system.
“This commendable move makes Abia one of the few states in the country that pays the federal government’s CONHESS package,” Kanu stated.
He further disclosed that the recruitment portal for health workers has been reopened to fill vacancies for ophthalmologists, medical officers, dental officers, and both full-time and part-time consultants.
The government urged qualified candidates to take advantage of the recruitment window as part of efforts to improve service delivery in the state’s primary healthcare system.
