Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, has approved the immediate disbursement of N1 million each to 31 verified indigenes of the state who recently returned from South Africa.
The intervention, amounting to N31 million, is designed as interim financial support to cushion the immediate challenges confronting the returnees and reassure them of the state government’s commitment to their welfare.
A statement on the development said the approval followed the government’s determination to ensure that the returnees were not abandoned at a vulnerable point in their lives.
According to the statement, comprehensive profiling of the 31 returnees is currently underway to determine their individual circumstances, socio-economic conditions and specific needs.
The exercise, it said, would enable the government to develop appropriate and sustainable interventions aimed at facilitating their reintegration and ensuring that they have access to relevant social protection programmes.
The state government described the intervention as part of Governor Otti’s commitment to protecting the dignity and welfare of vulnerable residents and ensuring that citizens facing difficult circumstances receive appropriate support.
The government said the initiative also reflected its broader resolve to create opportunities for Abians to recover from hardship, rebuild their lives and contribute meaningfully to the development of the state.
Since assuming office, the government said, Governor Otti has prioritised policies and programmes aimed at improving the wellbeing of citizens, particularly vulnerable persons and those confronted by socio-economic difficulties.
The government further assured the returnees that Abia remained home to all its sons and daughters, irrespective of where they lived or the circumstances that brought them back to the state.
It added that the N1 million interim support was only an immediate relief measure, while the ongoing profiling would guide further interventions tailored to the individual needs of the returnees.
The state government therefore reassured the 31 beneficiaries and their families that no Abian would be left behind, stressing that the administration would continue to pursue policies that promote dignity, inclusion and sustainable reintegration.
